Kika and I speak about her latest book of poetry, "Occupied: Vienna is a Broken Man & Daughter of Hunger," which came to life as Kika "foraged for her mother's memories" as her mother lost them to Alzheimer's to honor her mother. Her mother's childhood was in post-war Austria and a traumatic time of deep hunger. Kika reads two of her poems and we talk about what led her to write this collection, her creative process, the lingering trauma of post-war life on children, and how these works about a past time remain relevant today.
Kika's language is delicious, her poetry vivid and rich, and readers will find themselves dropped into Austria after WW2. Her voice is powerful, unsentimental, and unwavering. "Occupied" will drop you deep inside the life of children, hungry and trying tragically to survive despite the war's ending.
Learn more about Kika and her work at www.kikadorsey.com