David VogelWhen first published in the 1920s, David Vogel’s poetry stood out for its originality and maturity, its concision, resonance and sensuality.
A beautiful choice of poems.
Le Figaro
Vogel’s economic subtlety of expression, special metaphoric language and poetic structure became a model of modern Hebrew poetry… He is the most interesting and unique of Hebrew poets. Judith Bar-El
Vogel derived considerable force from the brevity and concentration of the best of medieval Hebrew poetry, and from a lucid sensitivity to biblical language.
Critic and translator A.C.Jacobs
Emmanuel Moses, who translated Vogel’s poetry into French, was awarded the prestigious Nelly Sachs Prize for the Translation of Poetry.
A single and last carriage is ready for the journey,
Let us get in -
It will not wait
I have seen timid girls depart -
Their narrow faces
flushed and mournful
like scarlet sunsets;
and round and rosy children
innocently ride off
simply because they were called.
And I've seen men
who walked the streets of the world
proud and erect,
their large eyes piercing far
from where they stood -
they too got into the carriage leisurely
and drove off.
We are the last.
The day is ending
And one last carriage is ready for the journey.
Let us step into it quietly and start -
we, too,
because it will not wait.
Trans. by Robert Friend
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