
<p><strong>Adam Cullen </strong>is a poet and translator of Estonian prose, poetry, drama, and children’s literature into English. Originally from Minnesota, he is a member of the Estonian Writers’ Union and has resided in Estonia since 2007.</p>


Adam Cullen


<p><strong>Concordia Klar</strong> (1938–2004) was an Estonian printmaker. She graduated from the Estonian State Art Institute in 1963 and soon became interested in surrealist ideas. Klar’s visionary imagery often combines nature motifs and human figures – her series of women with musical instruments embodies harmony between the two. A lesser known fact is that Klar also wrote poetry and for this issue of A Shade Colder two of her poems from the 1970s have been translated to English for the first time.&nbsp;</p>


Concordia Klar

Translated by


<div class="wp-block-www-blocks-image-block alignleft"><figure class="is-zoomable"><img data-src="https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm57102_g30115_klar_c_hype_maandumiseta_edf0254-VEEBI-scaled.jpg" data-srcset="https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm57102_g30115_klar_c_hype_maandumiseta_edf0254-VEEBI-150x150.jpg 150w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm57102_g30115_klar_c_hype_maandumiseta_edf0254-VEEBI-211x300.jpg 211w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm57102_g30115_klar_c_hype_maandumiseta_edf0254-VEEBI-721x1024.jpg 721w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm57102_g30115_klar_c_hype_maandumiseta_edf0254-VEEBI-555x788.jpg 555w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm57102_g30115_klar_c_hype_maandumiseta_edf0254-VEEBI-713x1013.jpg 713w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm57102_g30115_klar_c_hype_maandumiseta_edf0254-VEEBI-792x1125.jpg 792w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm57102_g30115_klar_c_hype_maandumiseta_edf0254-VEEBI-950x1350.jpg 950w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm57102_g30115_klar_c_hype_maandumiseta_edf0254-VEEBI-1267x1800.jpg 1267w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm57102_g30115_klar_c_hype_maandumiseta_edf0254-VEEBI-1386x1969.jpg 1386w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm57102_g30115_klar_c_hype_maandumiseta_edf0254-VEEBI-scaled.jpg 1801w" data-sizes="auto" width="1801" height="2560" alt="" class="lazyload"/><figcaption>Concordia Klar, <em>Jump Without Landing</em>, 1971. Soft ground. Art Museum of Estonia</figcaption><button class="zoom m-image" aria-label="View fullscreen"></button></figure></div>



<p>Worry-strips on eyelashes,<br>worry-strips on eyelashes.</p>



<p>Crisscrossing fir roots<br>over a cascade of light,<br>clover’s crosses<br>over a work still to write.</p>



<p>Frost molds discs<br>in moments’ mute fall –<br>it is not that, before which<br>sinks nightly a fiery ball.</p>



<p>The path twisted and turned,<br>rays scattered about,<br>the aroma of decaying leaves.</p>



<p>Time walks swiftly, spurred,<br>holding our debt in its hands.</p>



<div class="wp-block-www-blocks-image-block"><figure class="is-zoomable"><img data-src="https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm20121_g11532_klar_c_v4ljaspool_tuisku_edd3005_-VEEBI-scaled.jpg" data-srcset="https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm20121_g11532_klar_c_v4ljaspool_tuisku_edd3005_-VEEBI-150x150.jpg 150w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm20121_g11532_klar_c_v4ljaspool_tuisku_edd3005_-VEEBI-300x234.jpg 300w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm20121_g11532_klar_c_v4ljaspool_tuisku_edd3005_-VEEBI-1024x799.jpg 1024w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm20121_g11532_klar_c_v4ljaspool_tuisku_edd3005_-VEEBI-1010x788.jpg 1010w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm20121_g11532_klar_c_v4ljaspool_tuisku_edd3005_-VEEBI-1299x1013.jpg 1299w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm20121_g11532_klar_c_v4ljaspool_tuisku_edd3005_-VEEBI-1442x1125.jpg 1442w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm20121_g11532_klar_c_v4ljaspool_tuisku_edd3005_-VEEBI-1731x1350.jpg 1731w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm20121_g11532_klar_c_v4ljaspool_tuisku_edd3005_-VEEBI-2308x1800.jpg 2308w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm20121_g11532_klar_c_v4ljaspool_tuisku_edd3005_-VEEBI-2524x1969.jpg 2524w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm20121_g11532_klar_c_v4ljaspool_tuisku_edd3005_-VEEBI-scaled.jpg 2560w" data-sizes="auto" width="2560" height="1997" alt="" class="lazyload"/><figcaption>Concordia Klar, <em>Safe from the Snowdrift</em>, 1978. Vernis mou. Art Museum of Estonia</figcaption><button class="zoom m-image" aria-label="View fullscreen"></button></figure></div>



<p class="has-text-align-right">Clouds remain, paths remain, you are gone.<br>Left is the ground, left are the flowers, but you are not.<br>Wind carries the dandelion tufts from blossomed yearnings.<br>I read it all in faces gazed upon – I reckon this must be freedom.<br>And from a simple person I turn into a detailed construction,<br>from maybe a single opportunity I sing with the wind in unison,<br>sinking as metal into concrete.<br>Brittle teeth crumble from the mouth of time.</p>



<div class="wp-block-www-blocks-image-block"><figure class="is-zoomable"><img data-src="https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm18254_g10954_klar_c_viibisin_vilet_puhuma_l_000095-VEEBI-scaled.jpg" data-srcset="https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm18254_g10954_klar_c_viibisin_vilet_puhuma_l_000095-VEEBI-150x150.jpg 150w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm18254_g10954_klar_c_viibisin_vilet_puhuma_l_000095-VEEBI-257x300.jpg 257w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm18254_g10954_klar_c_viibisin_vilet_puhuma_l_000095-VEEBI-876x1024.jpg 876w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm18254_g10954_klar_c_viibisin_vilet_puhuma_l_000095-VEEBI-674x788.jpg 674w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm18254_g10954_klar_c_viibisin_vilet_puhuma_l_000095-VEEBI-867x1013.jpg 867w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm18254_g10954_klar_c_viibisin_vilet_puhuma_l_000095-VEEBI-963x1125.jpg 963w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm18254_g10954_klar_c_viibisin_vilet_puhuma_l_000095-VEEBI-1155x1350.jpg 1155w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm18254_g10954_klar_c_viibisin_vilet_puhuma_l_000095-VEEBI-1540x1800.jpg 1540w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm18254_g10954_klar_c_viibisin_vilet_puhuma_l_000095-VEEBI-1685x1969.jpg 1685w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm18254_g10954_klar_c_viibisin_vilet_puhuma_l_000095-VEEBI-scaled.jpg 2190w" data-sizes="auto" width="2190" height="2560" alt="" class="lazyload"/><figcaption>Concordia Klar, <em>Staying to Blow the Whistle</em>, 1976. Soft Ground. Art Museum of Estonia</figcaption><button class="zoom m-image" aria-label="View fullscreen"></button></figure></div>



<div class="wp-block-www-blocks-image-block"><figure class="is-zoomable"><img data-src="https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm16678_g10674_klar_c_m4ng_l_000104-VEEBI-scaled.jpg" data-srcset="https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm16678_g10674_klar_c_m4ng_l_000104-VEEBI-150x150.jpg 150w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm16678_g10674_klar_c_m4ng_l_000104-VEEBI-300x239.jpg 300w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm16678_g10674_klar_c_m4ng_l_000104-VEEBI-1024x816.jpg 1024w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm16678_g10674_klar_c_m4ng_l_000104-VEEBI-988x788.jpg 988w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm16678_g10674_klar_c_m4ng_l_000104-VEEBI-1271x1013.jpg 1271w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm16678_g10674_klar_c_m4ng_l_000104-VEEBI-1411x1125.jpg 1411w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm16678_g10674_klar_c_m4ng_l_000104-VEEBI-1693x1350.jpg 1693w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm16678_g10674_klar_c_m4ng_l_000104-VEEBI-2258x1800.jpg 2258w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm16678_g10674_klar_c_m4ng_l_000104-VEEBI-2470x1969.jpg 2470w, https://admin.ashadecolder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ekm16678_g10674_klar_c_m4ng_l_000104-VEEBI-scaled.jpg 2560w" data-sizes="auto" width="2560" height="2041" alt="" class="lazyload"/><figcaption>Concordia Klar, <em>Play</em>, 1974. Soft ground. Art Museum of Estonia</figcaption><button class="zoom m-image" aria-label="View fullscreen"></button></figure></div>



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Adam Cullen is a poet and translator of Estonian prose, poetry, drama, and children’s literature into English. Originally from Minnesota, he is a member of the Estonian Writers’ Union and has resided in Estonia since 2007.