Hebrew Poems

Poems Found in Translation: “Ḥaim Lensky: A St. Petersburg White Night (From Hebrew)” plus 1 more Ḥaim Lensky: A St. Petersburg White Night (From Hebrew) Posted: 02 Dec 2016 01:43 PM PST Too often it is assumed that modern Hebrew literature is the same thing as Israeli literature. But just as many Israelis write in other languages, such as Arabic and Russian, so too have many Hebrew poets lived outside of Israel. Haim Lensky is one of many Hebrew poets who wrote on Russian soil in the early 20th century. He eventually starved to death in a labor camp for the crime of writing in Hebrew. Here translated is a sonnet about a St. Petersburg white night. The Day Descended  By Ḥaim Lenski Translated by A.Z. Foreman The day descended the cold steps of stone To bathe in the Neva, but hardly found Itself half in before it plunged and drowned. The furrowing funeral of waves began.  Complete silence descended in half-darkness  Again. Then, rounded, gilded and agleam St. Isaac's dome sank into the blue stream As if a diving bell dropped by a harness. The Admiralty like a golden ball Feels its way through the water- spires and all. A gurgle. Then the river runs in twilight.   Then up with the cadaver that they haul Out, with blue frozen lips and face of white. They know him, and they call him the white night.  The Original: הַיּוֹם יָרַד בְּמַדְרְגוֹת-הָאֶבֶן אֶל תְּכוֹל מֵימֵי הַיְאוֹר לִפְחֹץ וּבְטֶרֶם כִּלָּה לִטְבֹּל צָלַל פִּי תְהוֹם. וְתֶלֶם גַּלִּים עָבַר בְּתַהֲלוּכַת-אֵבֶל.  יָרְדָה דְמָמָה שְׁלֵמָה וַחֲצִי אֹפֶל, וַעֲגֻלָּה, מוּפֶזֶת וּמַזְהֶרֶת,  שָׁקְעָה כִּפַּת אִיסַאֲקִי תּוֹךְ הַזֶּרֶם כְּפַעֲמוֹן אָמוֹדַאי מְשֻׁלְשַׁל-חֶבֶל.  וּכְמוֹ כַּדּוּר-זָהָב מְגַשֵּׁשׁ בַּמַּיִם חֹד ×’Ö¼Ö·×’ הָאַדְמִירַלְיָה. בַּעְבּוּעַ. שׁוֹטֵף הַיְאוֹר בְּזֹהַר בֵּין-עַרְבָּיִם.  הֹעֲלָה הַמֵּת, הִנֵּהוּ הַטָּבוּעַ; אָרֹךְ, לְבֶן-פָּנִים וּכְחֹל-שׂפָתַיִם.  ׳הַלַּיְלָה הַלָּבָן׳ – ×›Ö¼Ö¹×” יִקְרָאוּהוּ.  Todros Abulafia: Love's Labor Pangs (From Hebrew) Posted: 02 Dec 2016 09:12 AM PST This little poem poem is a subversion of the morning blessing ×‘רוך אתה ×™×™ אלהינו מלך העולם שלא עשני אשה Blessed art Thou Lord our God, King of the Universe, that hast not made me a woman. It is not the only such subversion in medieval Hebrew letters. Qalonymos ben Qalonymos has another, much longer one, in which he too expresses the wish to have been born a woman. Love's Labor Pangs Todros Abulafia (13th cent.) Translated by A.Z. Foreman On an Arab girl whom I'd love to have as a lover, whom I saw with other women kissing one another. I've known love's labor pangs, but brought forth naught.  I'm in the snares of her, an Arab fawn. My soul so longs for kisses from her mouth That I long to turn myself into a female For it is women that she'll woo and kiss But I am lost. For I was born a male.  The Original: באהבה חלתי טודרוס אבולעפיה طدروس ابو العافية על בת ערב ערבה לי אהבתה, ×•×‘תוך עלמות ראיתי אותה, ×ž×©×™×§×•×ª אשה על אחותה. בָּאַהֲבָה חַלְתִּי וְלֹא יָלַדְתִּי, וּבְפַח צְבִיָּה בַּת עֲרָב נִלְכַּדְתִּי. לִנְשֹׁק בְּפִיהָ אִוְּתָה נַפְשִׁי עֲדֵי לִהְיוֹת נְקֵבָה בַעֲדָהּ חָמַדְתִּי — ×›Ö¼Ö´×™ הַנְּקֵבוֹת הִיא מְנַשֶּׁקֶת, וּבִשְׁ־ בִיל שֶׁאֲנִי זָכָר, אֲנִי הִפְסַדְתִּי!