Filipino bilingual poet explores inner thoughts and memories I By Courtney Anderson Entertainment Editor Poetry can be deeply personal and revealing about the inner struggles of the poet Bird Eating Bird a debut collection of poems by Kristin Naca does just that A Filipina  American poet she was born in Washington DC and raised in Northern Virginia She earned her BA at the University of Washington her MA in English Linguistics at the University of Cincinnati an MFA at the University of Pittsburgh and a PhD from the University of Nebraska She speaks both Spanish and English which is reflected in her bilingual poetry Some of her poems are entirely in Spanish followed by full English translations Others have chunks of Spanish with English translations off to the side and still others have Spanish words with no English translation Both of the languages enrich her poetry making them dynamic. The book begins with the poem Speaking English is Like where she describes the language with colorful images brown and beige and blonde tiles set in panels of tile across the bathroom floor / Tawny red curtains hamstrung in the quick morning light / The tender black wick at the top of a candle's waxy lip / The purple and purple blue berry sacks tethered to a blackberry rind/ Mouthfuls of lavender at the height of August and ends with The ghostly cu cu echoing through the purple night under stars Her second to last poem Speaking Spanish is Like uses solid descriptive words to describe the language A bird in a tree sings to a parrot in a cage next door/As the needle skids it plays the grooves carved in the record vinyl/In front of the butcher shop a man the name of a woman tattooed on his chest/The letters on his skin go green from too many years Many of the poems describe events in her life such as trips to her Uncle Ulpe's and her Aunt Ining's house to Mexico City and to the time when she broke her leg Her best poems play with the conventions of language in both Spanish and English The best example of this is in her poem House which is separated into seven sections The second section plays with the pronunciation of the word house House is a five letter word It is pronounced /aus / aiis / or / aiiz/ / Looking at these phonetic spellings you'd probably say But wait What / have you done with my 'h' Where has that chimneystack cleft of a letter / gone to / And Nowhere I say Nowhere trying to comfort you 'h' is breathed not / said A change of direction A thread of air pulled up your windpipe expulsion/ from the gut and lungs Oh Oh 'h' I say you make health out of wealth house / of a louse home of Rome   just conceiving it The heart and the earth   by the / way the wind blows The fourth part of House creates a dialogue and narrative between different words and the word house This plays with the idea of the airy 'h' and how other sounds take advantage of it and abuses it making the word house depressed Naca's poems are edgy yet playful They use solid and colorful imagery to create vivid environments and scenes in the readers mind Reading her poetry is like taking a guided tour through her mind The reader experiences the way she thinks the way she talks and the way she views her world Naca is observant and uses unusual words to describe the scenes of her memory Her use of language adds richness to her poems that make them truly unique For a first collection of poems they are very impressive but at only 91 pages I am left wanting to read more For more information about Naca go to her website at wwwkristinnacacom HARPHRCOLLINSCOM Her use of both Spanish and English and her experience as a bilingual speaker makes her poetry unique   Poetry Corner Unattainable Jewel By Rachael Ward So close yet so far You sparkle like the brightest Yet everytime I reach out I find myself full of doubt Will I ever find the courage to stand So that one day I can hold you in my hand It is something only time may tell A lesson that wise men know well It is for this purpose that I will fight I will strive for this goal with all my might No matter what obstacles get in my way I have a dream that's more then most can say While people may laugh and call me a fool I will continue to reach for this unattainable jewel Since when can others decide what I crave It will only send me to my grave Not understanding my true worth With my life face first in the earth I understand what it means to feel alone A feeling that can chill any man to the bone I will no longer accept to be washed away by that tide Those who give in have already died In this ocean of loneliness I will swim for the surface Breath in the air and scream I have a purpose This dream has made me whole Filled me up to the very soul With this first step I have opened the door To live my life no matter what Tilapia with green beans J Recipe courtesy of I Foodnetworkcom   Ingrediants I 2 tablespoons all purpose flour I 2 teaspoons chopped fresh  oregano plus more for garnish I 2 tablespoons chopped resh I parsley   Kosher salt and freshly ground I pepper I 4 6 ounce tilapia fillets l 4 tablespoons unsalted butter J 1/2 pound thin green beans or I haricots verts I 1 clove garlic chopped   1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes j halved I Juice of 1 lemon J Directions I Combine the flour oregano and I parsley in a shallow dish   Season with salt and pepper I Place a large skillet over medi  I um high heat Dredge the fish J in the flour mixture shaking off I the excess Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in  the skillet then add 2 fillets   and cook until golden brown on the bottom about 4 minutes ( Flip and cook through 1 to 2 more minutes Transfer to a   plate and keep warm Repeat with the remaining 2 fillets Add the green beans and garlic to the skillet and cook about 2 Season with salt and pepper then add the tomatoes and cook until just softened about 1 more minutes Stir in the lemon juice and 1/4 cup water then cover and cook until the beans are tender about 3 more minutes Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter until just melted Divide the fish and vegetables among plates Garnish with oregano Cook time 9 minutes Yields 4 servings Cooking level Easy FOODNETWORKCOM   This fun springtime food recipe is as easy and deli    cious as it is healthy Regal Manor Cinema 16 The Snapper   Entertainment 9   April 82010 Movie Rating Synopsis Times Alice in Wonderland PG 19 year old Alice returns to the magical world of Wonderland and learns that she must kill the Red Queen 11451250215 325 445 600 715 830 945 Clash of the Titans PG 13 The mortal son of the god Zeus embarks on a perilous journey to stop the under  world and its minions from spreading their evil to Earth as well heaven 1235 130305 400 535 720 8051000 1035 Green Zone R Discovering covert and faulty intelligence causes a US Army officer to go rogue as he hunts for Weapons of Mass Destruction 120 415 650 940 Hot Tub Time Machine R Four guy friends all of whom are bored with their lives travel back in to their heydays in the 80s thanks to a time bend  ing hot tub 1215 235 455 725 955 Repo Men R In the near future when artificial organs can be bought on credit it revolves around a man who can no longer pay for his heart and goes on the run before it is reposessed 140 420 7551030 She's Out of My League R An average Joe meets the perfect woman but his lack of confidence and the influence from his friends and family start to break away at his relationship 230 505 7401015 Shutter Island R Set in 1954 US Marshal Teddy Daniels investigates the disappear  ance of a murderess at a hospital for the criminally insane on the remote Shutter Island 1220 320 620 930 Have a story for the Snapper Contact us at wwwthesnappercom with your ideas Catch Up I Get Ahead I Stay on Top of Your Game Introduction to Science Financial Accounting Managerial Accounting Microeconomics Macroeconomics Survey of English Literature I The Ancient World Introduction to Music General College Physics I General College Physics II Native American Experience Elementary Spanish I Elementary Spanish II Ethics American National Government Organizational Communications Organizational Behavior Paranormal Phenomena Elementary Statistics Experimental Psychology Encountering World Religions Take classes at Lebanon Valley this summer catch up or get ahead of the cun Transfer credits from a quality liberal arts college We offer four convenient undergraduate sessions to fit your busy summer schedule Graduate courses are offered towards earning your Master of Business Administration Master of Music Education or Master of Science Education degrees Enroll today 2 Week Session   May 17  May 28 Summer Session I   May 24 July 1 Summer Session II   July 5   August 12 10 Week Session   June 7   August 12 Undergraduate students may register for a maximum of 11 credit hours this summe Visit our web site at wwwlvcedu/ce for complete summer course descriptions and tc register online To contact a continuing education advisor phone 18778770423 or e mail Continuing education lvcedu Classes begin as early as May 17 Lebanon Valley College Graduate Studies   Continuing Education 101 North College Avenue I Annville PA 17003 1400 I wwwlvcedu/ce