Lina Buividavičiūtė

Oprelle introduces Lina Buividavičiūtė. Lina’s poetry always seems to capture our judge’s hearts…no matter their background. Lina’s most recent accomplishment was becoming the overall winner of our 2021 MATTER Poetry Anthology Contest. We just cannot forget “One November, and It Will Be Cloudy.” Congratulations Lina!

Lina Buividavičiūtė was born on May 14, 1986. She is a poet, literary scholar, and literary critic. Her poetry is or will be published in “Matter”, “Love this”, “Rise up” and “Proverse poetry prize” contests anthologies in English. Lina’s poetry is published in Versopolis poetry platform. She is author of one poetry book in Lithuanian language. Another poetry book will be published in September. She gained BA in Lithuanian philology and advertising, and a MA in Lithuanian literature. Lina ‘s poems have been published in most of Lithuania’s cultural periodicals. She has actively taken part in literary readings, book launches, and contests.

Winning Poetry

One November. And it will be cloudy

The world has sunk into sleep, the window and an overcast
glance, there’s nothing to wake you, darkness engulfs the day
more and more, and sometimes you can’t tell
what time it is now, everything becomes strangely distant, mist, glass,
I need stronger glasses, more expressive rituals.

I don’t want to wake in the morning, I growl from under the covers, building
tents from my childhood, everything is just echo, I no longer ignite that
joyful game. The soup is bland, no one chases
the shadows in corners, now I think that I’ve always
lived so tepidly, it’s neither November here, nor is it anything.

The forest and the trees, fading sheets, unripe winter berries
and colourless birds, I trudge along empty byways,
soaked by the cold autumn rain, drops on my short eyelashes – – –

I try to echo, to answer, I hoot with laughter at death’s
doorstep, I must rebuild life from the ashes, I need
blood and milk, my veins are already barren.
I must toss back my heavy head, drunk from the humidity,
kiss the quiet passerby in the city, worship nudity, commemorate
all of the saints, create a litany of hunger,
survive this month.