An epiphany, a bolt of spiritual lightning, an astonishing conceit, a fleeting insight, a lasting memory--great poetry is all this and more. A moment of social or personal crisis encapsulated in an ironic or moving phrase or a universal sentiment brought to life in musical language--a poem's light touch or heavy rhythm can make your day. You can read it in a minute, yet savor it for a lifetime.
	This space is for all lovers of the short form--poetry, short prose, experimental writing. We invite you to share your favorite German poem with translation (preferably your own) and, if possible, your thoughts on the poem--not an exhaustive interpretation but your personal pathway into and through the thicket of the poem's language and meaning. You may also respond to someone else's reading with another reading, or you may come up with a different or more accurate translation. Whatever it is that you submit to us at mhuffm@berkeley.edu, remember to keep it pithy in the spirit of the short form!
This is the place for those who have nurtured, maybe even secretly, a passion for the sounds and meanings of language--a passion that drew many of us to the world of literature in the first place. Let's celebrate the love of poetry, but also the analytical skills of those of us trying to grapple with the richness of the poem's allusions and rhetorical strategies. We sincerely hope that you join us here. Feel at home, you're among friends.