Composer, Dr. Gidi Koren, and I at the Toronto event honoring the 10 year anniversary of poet Natan Yonatan's passing. I read "Shores Are Sometimes", my translation to English (fast forward to about 3:50) of Natan's חופים, from the book he and I worked on together for so many years -- Within the Song To Live, Natan's selected poems in Hebrew and English. Within the Song To Live includes a CD of Gidi and Natan's songs performed by האחים והאחיות:
[Okay – I’ve been convinced that I should add some information………., as I did on FB, AND suggest to the non-Hebrew speakers to fast forward to about 3:50 to hear me read in English...] This clip (thanks to Michal R. for the quick thinking!) is my evidence of an extraordinary evening of poetry, music and dance in honor of my friend, the poet Natan Yonatan, marking 10 years since his passing – a chance for me to tell a small part of the story of our shared experiences of work and camaraderie. I was unable to take part in the outstanding events in Israel with Susie, Moni and Ezra (see previous posts) for example, but had this golden (yes!) opportunity to take part in Gidi Koren’s Toronto commemoration that reflected the depth, sophistication, talent and pathos, I daresay, of the man: Natan was the people’s poet, beloved by so many and finally, now increasingly appreciated in new, “literary” ways. I’ve worked hard myself to make this happen at colleges and universities -- beyond the poetry collection, Within the Song to Live, that he and I worked on together in the years before his death. Last year, I even wrote a chapter on the poem Hofim for vol. 2 of Prof. Vardit Ringvald’s bestselling Hebrew as a second language textbook, Brandeis Modern Hebrew.
I’ll add one more personal note for those who asked to know more about May 15th in Toronto: It was a Cinderella evening for me – the last moment for that head of hair of mine (see clip…), which quickly disappeared almost exactly on cue at the chimes of midnight. As many of you know by now, I am going through treatment -- feeling far from my best... I had fears about mounting those couple of stairs to the stage, and you can imagine that I was doubly nervous to speak at all in public in Hebrew after so long. But “walla”, it happened (with so much help from my family and friends), and I was exceedingly glad to contribute ANYTHING to those beautiful hours with the good folks in Toronto. Looking forward to more…….. השאיר טעם של עוד........
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