Poetry

Zohar Atkins weighs in on contemporary anti-Semitism “culture wars” through the unique lens of poetry.

A poem on parshat Korach by Zohar Atkins

In this poem, Yehudit Sarah Waller describes the struggle to maintain routine amid upheaval.

In these two poems, Maya Bernstein reexamines the ancient praises of the Jewish woman.

Yaakov Jaffe analyzes the multiple meanings of a medieval Jewish poem and popular Shabbat table song.

Ross Weissman offers a stirring poem on hope during the trying times of coronavirus.

Poet Yehoshua November notices a defining characteristic of contemporary poetry—fixation on the ordinary. In light of Hasidic theology, November argues that appreciation for the holiness of the ordinary underlies Megillat Esther and the celebration of Purim.

David Lehman hits a home run with this fun, smart poem that is perfect for the summer

In an original Hebrew poem, Shoshanah Haberman addresses the crisis in Israel and Gaza, mourns the dead, and prays for the future.

Wendy Zierler interprets a 2015 poem by the late Haim Gouri, reflecting on the challenges of aging, and on the complex and often mournful relationship between the Jewish people, their history, and their literature.