American Yiddish Poetry: A Bilingual Anthology

This book introduces a collection of twentieth-century American poetry written in Yiddish, aiming to bring this rich cultural and literary heritage to a broader audience. It is designed not only for those who understand Yiddish but for all readers of poetry, literature, and history who seek to discover new themes and texts. Yiddish poetry, with its roots in cities like New York, Chicago, Tel Aviv, and Vilna, engages with major Modernist trends while creating its own unique poetic world. The collection emphasizes that, despite the language barrier, the human topics and artistic achievements of Yiddish poetry are an essential part of global cultural heritage.

The challenge of conveying the essence of Yiddish poetry to readers unfamiliar with the language is significant, but this anthology provides translated works that aim to preserve the original's meaning and poetic form. The editors, through daily collaboration and the support of several translators and experts, have crafted translations that offer a glimpse into the powerful imagery and themes of Yiddish verse. By incorporating insights from both poetry and visual art, this volume positions Yiddish poetry within the broader landscape of twentieth-century American cultural expression, ensuring its place in the literary canon.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1986.