Some Hebrew Poems...

Recently, the writings of Natan Alterman (1910-1970) sorta made their way to me by way of an Israeli movie I watched. Turns out Alterman was a great poetic genius, and one of the greatest Hebrew Literary giants in recent times. I'll share some of it here... (stealing some bandwidth, but the text shouldn't be copyrighted) If anyone of you out there happens to know how to get his/her hands on the book כוכבים בחוץ Kokhavim Bahuts [Stars Outside] (1938), and hopefully with an English translation, please do tell me!

1938, Nathan Alterman
Stars Outside- כוכבים בחוץ Kokhavim Bahuts
Publisher: Yachdav, Tel Aviv
Translation: Lewis Glinert

Moon
An old sight too has its moment of birth.
A birdless sky
Strange and set apart.
Facing your window on the moonlit night stands
A city plunged in crickets' tears.

And when you see a road still watching for a wayfarer
And the moon
Is on the cypress spear,
You say: 'My God, are all these things still out there?
May one whisper them a greeting?'

From their pools the waters gaze upon us.
The tree is at rest
In a flush of catkin blossoms.
Never shall the sorrow of Your great playthings
Be plucked from me, O our God.

Again the Melody Returns
Again the melody returns, the one you neglected in vain
And the length of the path is still open
And the cloud in its sky and the tree in its rain
Still expect you, the passerby.

And the wind will arise and in flight of swings
The lightning will pass over you
And ewe and doe will bear witness
That you stroked them and kept walking--
(Kokhavim bahuts, p. 7)

You fall asleep and I shall enter
On the floor I shall sit to gaze at you
Silent and strange in your peaceful room
I shall wait for you like your shoes.
(Kokhavim bahuts)


Niggun Atik (An Ancient Melody)
If your tears flow at night like a river,
My joy I shall kindle like straw,
My bed, if you shiver, will warm you,
I shall cover you, sleep on the floor.

If you yearn to join into the dancing
I will play till my bowstrings all break,
If a gift for your birthday you fancy,
My life it is yours, love, to take.

If bread or if wine you are wanting
Head bowed, I will stay on my feet
'Til I’ve sold both my eyes in the market
So my darling can drink and can eat.

But if ever when I am not with you,
you laugh and carouse without thought,
I’ll burn down the rafters above you
With the anger my jealousy’s wrought.