“linguaphile”

by Tamara Bašić

she was a language 

full of foreign accents 

and assonance 

and metaphors, 

with an alphabet made of 

rhythm 

and rhyme 

and words not made for translating– 

gökotta 

and Waldeinsamkeit 

and la douleur exquise 

but the lilt of his voice 

as he unraveled 

line after line 

of her offbeat language 

was both saudade and tarab, both a pull and a push; 

such a perfect mix 

of language and linguaphile.

Tamara Bašić (she/her) lives in Croatia, where she is frequently trying to pluck gorgeous sentences from her thoughts and write them into poetry. She can also often be found reading, trying to become a polyglot, staring at the sky in awe, and viciously daydreaming. Her work is featured or forthcoming in Southchild Lit, Ice Lolly Review, celestite poetry, Lavender Lime Literary, fifth wheel press, and elsewhere. For more writing and updates, you can find her on social media @authortamarab