Literary career Avraham Shlonsky

avraham shlonsky, 1936

shlonsky published first poem in 1919 in newspaper ha-shiloah. contributed jewish cultural life songs satirical stage productions, purim holiday costume balls tradition in tel aviv. @ stage in career poet, showed tendency witty writing, incorporating linguistic innovations in revived , developing hebrew language. during period, edited literary columns of several newspapers.

gradually, became representative of rebel group rebelled against poetry of bialik , generation, expressing particular aversion seen characteristic clichés. new group tried create vibrant, youthful, lively poetry, , not perpetuate saw being second-hand literary establishment. years, perhaps result of stance, shlonsky s poetry not taught in schools alongside classic poems of bialik, shaul tchernichovsky, david shimoni, , others.

in 1933 shlonsky founded literary weekly turim, identified yachdav society in major poets natan alterman , leah goldberg members. editor, shlonsky gave aspiring poets opportunity publish poems. dahlia ravikovitch merited 1 such opportunity when first poem published in literary quarterly orlogin edited shlonsky.

shlonsky noted sensitive activism on behalf of boris gaponov. gaponov, editor of communist party daily in auto plant in soviet georgia, translated georgian epic knight in panther s skin shota rustaveli hebrew. shlonsky orchestrated publication of translation in israel, , among worked enable gaponov immigrate israel. when gaponov, had learned hebrew listening israel radio broadcasts, immigrated israel ill , close death. israeli television viewers of time remember image of shlonsky stroking gaponov s head in loving, fatherly manner, latter lay on sickbed.

despite reputation comic wit, shlonsky did not shrink tragic situation around him, rather expressed in works. in poem distress laments fate of victims of first world war , of jews suffered pogroms in ukraine during bolshevik revolution.

during holocaust, published collection of verse titled ממחשכים (from concealing shadows) in expressed feelings darkest period in human history. particularly lamented fate of jews in diseased europe.