The Shy Hand of a Jew: Poems by Maurycy (Mosze) Szymel - Softcover

Szymel, Maurycy (Mosze)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0982403852 ISBN 13: 9780982403853

Publisher: Happy Body Press, 2013

Synopsis

Szymel’s poetry revolves around the relationship between Jews and Poles, as well as other aspects of his life as a Jew living in Poland. He reveals a strong feeling of connection to Poland and often relies on the color and scent of its landscape and countryside. In “Poland” (1934), he writes: ...gray, peasant horse how does my love appear to you when I caress your warm, sweaty head with a shivering hand, the shy hand of a Jew?

About this title

About the Author:

Maurycy (Mosze) Szymel was born into a Jewish community in Lvov in 1903. He graduated from the Jewish Humanistic Gymnasium, and was first published in 1925 in Moments, Lvov's Polish-language Jewish newspaper. He published lyrics, children's poems, short stories, and plays, and became one of the most devoted co-workers of Moments, which published many Jewish poets, such as Juliusz Wit, Karol Dresdner, Anda Eker, Stefan Pomer, Artur Lauterbach, and Daniel Ihr. These were writers whose work expressed Jewish longings and praised the Jewish national soul "through a poet's words—through Polish words" as Roman Brandstaetter, one of the most well-known members of this movement, stated. Szymel's poetry explores the relationship between Jews and Poles, as well as other aspects of his life as a Jew living in Poland. His writing reveals a strong connection to Poland, often evoking the imagery of its landscape and countryside. Szymel lived the life of a gypsy poet and supported himself, with difficulty, by writing poetry, literary articles and criticism, weekly columns and translations from Yiddish. His name was well known in Polish circles in general as well as by readers of Polish-Jewish newspapers.

About this edition

• Publisher: Happy Body Press
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0982403852
• ISBN 13: 9780982403853
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 160