In 2009, the poet Yoram Verta (together with Yaron David) edited the anthology "Inn and Abyss: The Kaddish Prayer in Hebrew Literature."
Now, Verta's sixth book of poems, "Oh Mama," devoted entirely to a poetic farewell to the poet's mother, gives readers a sort of personal-public "orphan Kaddish book — private poems dedicated to his mother and only her, and at the same time giving a general voice to Ben Al's mourning emu.
In Verta's case, it is a plant witness, a literary researcher, essayist and translator, who passed away in 2005, but first and foremost it is a mother.
In doing so, this book aligns with other "orphaned Kaddish books" that have been published in recent years, offering a general poetic farewell to a private mother, such as "Lullaby" by Orit Gidley (Kibbutz Hameuchad, 2015), and "Let There Be Evening, Let There Be Wonder" by Mia Tevet- Dayan (Pardes, 2015).
The title page that opens the new book includes hospital songs from the days of the mother's death, and her presence within them is strongly felt not only in the poet's words but also in a collection of direct quotes from her: her own "last words."
The motto of a client's book is from those "last words", and he immediately conveys her unique style and fragrant sense of humor: "What do you write there / in your clumsy notebook? / Very not Elgan / Elgan".
The voice and nature of the mother and the other, mainly in the headlines of the songs: "I have to do it" He was a good time. Stop. / You know here they really are / know how to do everything ".
The first title in the book was signed on the death of the mother, and the last poem in it, "Ki-Tel-Ki", increases the making and disassembles, alongside death, the language itself (a similar disintegration process can be found in T. Carmi's dying cycle: "Songs (and simulations) necessary" ): "Not ak / bad / not ak / tov / and not af / song // not ak / bosh / not ash / bar / and not brother / tam // ak / sof".
With great virtuosity, Verta presents the endings of the verbs as independent words, testifying as a thousand witnesses to death and its power.
After the mother, the rest of the book, It's that I'm always late and you're ahead.
The songs present the absence precisely through dreams, fantasies and memories associated with it, the fruit of a missing consciousness of a son left alone.
So, for example, I think it is a good thing to do. The great pleasure of being an undisturbed individual.Snim Hlfo swiftly Bhtzlhh but it's a Lmdti Ang variant Shlc and Gdl not Lrohh Hcais Aoth Shbrot Nasth dear me more off and Iotr Mfkr Cnth me to the Mdbrim Shthti Bh Bhzrh Nosfo Gonim Mftiaim Lnht Shsbti Lh fee is Hsibh me again and again Arcot Bahbh violent secrecy Scmoh forever not Ada lately Hith Tzrich go out and Notrti Alone with a big disturbance. "
Yoram Verta / Oh Mama, Poetry Publishing, 75 pages
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