The White Deer Vizma Besevica Vizma Belsevica (1931-2005) was a Latvian poetess, writer and translator. She published her first poems in 1947. "Belsevica's poetry is not about ideal life. I cannot immediately recall another Latvian poet who exposed human ions in such an imaginative, and, at the same time, painful and even inexorable way: from childish jokes to old-age wisdom with all of its reincarnations and losses, existential drama, striving for the future and appeals to the past…. The presence of people in her poetry comes from the inside, from depths, through words, phrases, intonation, rhythm…. Vizma Belsevica illuminated crucial moments in Latvia's history with a ray of future knowledge to highlight the issue of responsibility, the responsibility of a spiritual person (and everyone) to one's people and conscience. Contemporary history knows many facts to prove that this is not an abstract issue." (A quote from the foreword by Inta Cakla). "I translated Vizma Belsavica's poetry with my soul, maybe, that is why this is my favorite translation to the language of soul and heart…." (V.S.)