Synopses & Reviews
A unique collection of Hebrew poetry through the ages
Extending from the Song of Deborah-written 3,000 years ago-to poems written in Israel by authors born in the 1930s, this unparalleled selection of poetry is the first of its kind produced in either English or Hebrew.
- Includes a note on the text, bibliography, and glossary
- Features the original Hebrew version of each poem next to its English translation
Synopsis
This stunning anthology gathers together the riches of poetry in Hebrew from "The Song of Deborah" to contemporary Israeli writings. Verse written up to the tenth century show the development of piyut, or liturgical poetry, and retell episodes from the Bible and exalt the glory of God. Medieval works introduce secular ideas in love poems, wine songs and rhymed narratives, as well as devotional verse for specific religious rituals. Themes such as the longing for the homeland run through the ages, especially in verse written after the rise of the Zionist movement, while poems of the last century marry Biblical references with the horrors of the Holocaust. Together these works create a moving portrait of a rich and varied culture through the last 3,000 years.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
About the Author
T. Carmi (19251994) was born in New York City and settled in Israel in 1947. He published eight volumes of poetry in Hebrew, including The Brass Serpent and Somebody Like You.