Shadow of Shadows

Shadow of Shadows explores life and meaning through the eyes and poetry of Ute von Funcke.

Life is a matter of constant development, in its course you become more aware of entanglements which have the tendency to make us blind. You continue your search for answers, see life`s balance, its frailty and its enormous mysterious power. This flame keeps you from losing your inborn search and astonishment, necessary for discovering the mysteries of and in our life. Seeking for answers to elemental questions, e.g. "where do we come from", "where do we go to?" as well as the challenge "to become what we are" accompany you on the way of maturing which has taught you to let go. It also includes relationships in the family, in and with nations, above all our attitude towards nature, its exploitation and misuse. Thoughts which necessarily lead to social-political and philosophical questions. A permanent trial to understand human behaviour, knowing we all are dependent on each other and what we become aware of. It also means to understand our responsibility and act accordingly.

A poet e.g. weaves a carpet in different patterns and colours which might evoke the reader`s own ideas and inner pictures leading him to become more aware of the preciousness of life which in the end means to discover love for and in life.

Born in Munich, Ute von Funcke still lives there. Very early she developed a love for literature, tales, myths and with growing interest philosophy, psychology and politics. She took to acting as a schoolgirl and in her student`s years, which taught her to watch human acting, behaviour and communication. Impressions of post-war years in her early childhood, hunger, a bombed city, which women had cleared with their hands, banned back to the kitchen, curtailed in their rights. She joined the students` rebellions in the 1968ies protest against those who sat in key positions, shielded Nazi culprits. A great impact on her later writing as well as her family`s sense for justice, tolerance and vibrant empathy for those who suffer. As a teacher for languages, ethics/ philosophy and drama at secondary schools, she studied body- work, Qigong and expressive dance, gave workshops for adults, became a coach for colleagues who taught acting. Besides writing plays for children, a collection of pieces for puppet players, she took to writing poetry in 2004.

Born in Wisconsin, I spent an undergraduate year + in Germany as one of the first U.S. exchange students after World War II (1949-50), after which I finished a B.A. (1952) at Wisconsin State College/Milwaukee, and took an M.A. (1953), and a Ph.D. (1957) at U. Wisconsin/Madison in German Language & Literature, which I then began teaching at Mt. Holyoke College (1957-59), subsequently at Harvard (1959-61), until settling at Oberlin College in 1961. At Oberlin I continued teaching German until, in the mid 1970s, with help from colleagues, I founded Oberlin's Creative Writing Program, which I directed until retiring in 1997. Along the way, also with colleagues, I co-founded Field Magazine, later the Field Translation Series and Oberlin College Press.