Steps Toward the Sky: On Nina Nekeri's Poetry

Abstract

Nino Nekerishvili, known by her pseudonym Nina Nekeri, published her first poetry collection in 2011 under the publishing house "Kalmosani," with me as the editor. Since I had always greatly admired her poems, I was pleased to take on the role of editing the book. Nina is also recognized for her translations, which include John Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and Cassandra Clare's The Clockwork Princess and The City of Heavenly Fire.

In this paper, I aim to explore Nina Nekeri's poetry from both content and form perspectives. From the outset, it is clear that her verses are characterized by a high degree of freedom; she is an experimentalist, constantly engaged in literary exploration. At times, it feels as though she is entirely devoted to capturing the essence of perpetual novelty and presenting it to her readers. The manner of this presentation is often unexpected, imposing and unapologetic.

It is worth noting that sometimes an author may not resemble their work and, instead, can appear as its complete opposite. In Nina Nekeri’s case, however, the resemblance between poet and poetry is so striking that one could say: Nina's poetry is the literary embodiment of her personality and Nina herself is the exact reflection of her poetry. Her verses are as bold, profound and captivating as the poet herself.

The lyrical persona in her poems engages in self-reflection, contemplating the polar concepts of faith and doubt, sin and innocence. The symbolic allusion to the forbidden tree of paradise signifies humanity’s innate curiosity about all that is taboo. The lyrical hero speaks of a semi-defined state, characteristic of an immature person, which results in profound inner conflict and anguish. The poet does not shy away from expressing the most doubtful, hidden and unacknowledged human emotions. She is so authentic and bold that she allows no alternative interpretations or fantasies outside her verses. Every message she conveys is clear, unembellished and impactful.

In her poem The Crew Member, the poet references the famous character Captain Jack Sparrow from Walt Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean, expressing solidarity with him and joining his crew.

Nina Nekeri’s work Laconically serves as an excellent example of accentual verse. Although Georgian poetry is traditionally syllabic or syllabic-tonic in nature, and accentual verse is not organically suited to the Georgian language due to its lack of stress, Nina masterfully handles this challenge. The syllabic structure of her lines is broken, yet rhythm is maintained entirely through a sense of stress and accentuation. This poem is also a clear example of enjambment, with sentences flowing seamlessly across lines, creating an exclusive structure.

Nina Nekeri's poetry combines a fighting spirit, courage, and daring that borders on literary audacity, blended with deeply feminine passions and emotions. She stands out as one of the most intriguing and talented representatives of contemporary Georgian poetry.