Return

Hayyim Nahman Bialik 1873 (Ivnitsa, Volhynian Governorate) – 1934 (Vienna)



Once more. Look: a spent old scarecrow
shrivelled face
straw-dry shadow
swaying like a leaf
bending and swaying over books.

Once more. Look: a spent old crone
weaving and weaving
knitted stockings
mouth full of curses
lips forever mumbling curses.

There’s the household cat
has not moved since I left,
still dreaming by the stove
playing cat and mouse
in his dream.

And as ever, in darkness
the spider weaves
hanging its web
full of swollen fly corpses
in the dark west corner.

You’ve not changed:
All old as the hills.
Nothing new.
I’ll join you, old cronies!
Together we’ll rot till we stink.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 20, 2023

31 sec read
126

Quick analysis:

Scheme AXAXX XXXBB XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 586
Words 106
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Hayyim Nahman Bialik

Hayim Nahman Bialik (Hebrew: חיים נחמן ביאליק), also Chaim or Haim, was a Jewish poet who wrote primarily in Hebrew but also in Yiddish. Bialik was one of the pioneers of modern Hebrew poetry. He was part of the vanguard of Jewish thinkers who gave voice to the breath of new life in Jewish life. Although he died before Israel became a state, Bialik ultimately came to be recognized as Israel's national poet. more…

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