“Monkey’s Excuse” is a collection of short stories and parables by Nina Kossman, bilingual author of eight books of poetry and prose, compiler of the anthology “Gods and Mortals” (Oxford University Press), artist, and translator of Tsvetaeva’s poems into English. “Nina Kossman is a natural at all sub-genres of short prose: а diary entry, a [...]
First, you sell your time. (This is called "earning a living.") Then you sell your ideas. (This is called "being famous.") Then you sell your house. (This is called "moving up".) Then you sell your wife of twenty five years. (This is called "a midlife crisis.") Then you sell your old books. (This is called [...]
You are a force deep inside me that doesn't know my name. (See me throw it into the fire.) That, deaf to my entreaties, wouldn't rescue me from a burning house. (See me throw it into the sea.) That wouldn't save me if I were drowning. And if I drowned, it would drown too. (See [...]
