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Witches

A world of magic and reality, humor and horror, unfolds in this book. Chalfie’s Witches is a unique unit in Israeli poetry.

These poems have aroused much interest and become very popular among readers, partly because of their feminist connotations. But in Chalfi’s world, witches express ambivalent qualities: daring, power, creativity, sexual independence and a revolt against repression on the one hand, and on the other: vulnerability, resignation, victimhood, and painful crashes to the ground of reality. Thus they are both wondrous and mundane; they soar to heights, but then sink down to reality, are defeated and pay the price.

Title Witches
Writer's Last Name Chalfi
Writer's First Name Raquel
Genre Poetry
Publisher (Hebrew) Keshev
No. Pages 57pp.
Book title - Hebrew (phonetic) Mechashefot
  • “ Chalfi's Linguistic flexibility and sincere view produce not only moments of horror, ridicule and a secret language, not just wonderful poetic observations, but also graceful images of witches, frolicking with fun in language and character games. In the space between amusement and darkness, between fantasy and psychology, emerges a kaleidoscopic portrait, virtuoso and profound.”

    Haaretz
  • “With Chalfi’s rare linguistic sensitivity, dipped in deep humor, there’s a “whoosh” that takes place, that makes these poems fly despite the literal and metaphoric dust that accompanies them…Reading them, one wants to say “Right!” or “Absolutely!” or “You’ve got it!” after almost each line. ”

    Time Out; Iton 77
  • “Wherever you open this book, you will find yourself in a crazy mind dance … Chalfi's witches poems throw us back and show what a profound option poetry can offer.”