Christina Hennemann
NationalPoetryMonth.ca April 6, 2023
Sinkflug by Christina Hennemann is published on NationalPoetryMonth.ca on April 6, 2023.
In Christina’s words,
"’Sinkflug’ responds to "Failing and Flying" by Jack Gilbert, a poet I greatly admire. Gilbert explores the idea that failure does not eradicate the success and happiness that came before, and I really wanted to zoom in on that feeling of failing. Gilbert's poem advocates a resilient view on life, whereas my poem focuses on the moment of downfall.
When Icarus fell, he most likely didn't think of his triumph at that moment. The pain of loss is real, no matter how well we are able to cope with it. In my poem the speaker has an internal conversation with themselves, reminding them of the worthwhile, happy moments of "flying" in a relationship, and yet grappling with the end of it. I think it's important to embrace those ambivalent, challenging moments in life, as these are the ones we draw our growth and strength from.
Being a native speaker of German, I instantly thought of the word "Sinkflug" (literally translates as "sink-flight", i.e. descent) for the title. For me, it describes the process of falling down much more viscerally than the English word. Descent describes any type of downwards movement, whereas the German word specifically addresses the act of a flying object or animal going down. There are many words that cannot exactly be translated into another language, and I enjoy playing around with that a lot. It's fascinating to me how depending on the language, words carry unique connotations and concepts of the world."
Christina Hennemann is the author of the poetry pamphlet “Illuminations at Nightfall” (Sunday Mornings at the River, 2022). She won the Luain Press Poetry Competition and her work is published in The Moth, Brigids Gate Press, Tír na nÒg and elsewhere. She is based in Ireland and currently working on a novel. www.christinahennemann.com
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