What Did You Lose in Poland?

By Shuki Gutman

'What did you lose in Poland?' Shuki Gutman's new book of poems is a true discovery. With courage and honesty, he gives us something rare in Hebrew poetry: the voice of the contemporary Jewish-Israeli, who is neither a survivor nor a son of survivors, but rather is someone who is drawn by dark, magical ropes to the death camps of Poland. It is a complex poetic journey, and most delicate but also black and dangerous, a poetic journey that touches many aspects, both the victim's and the executioner's soul, and of course also - the writer's soul who looks at the 'Land of Horror' from afar. More than this, within the lines of these poems, it seems that Gutman's poetic language embodies that very same world. Gutman adopts a unique poetic language: a language that is fluent and clear but also partly crushed and distorted. It is a personal language that contains both pain and redemption, giving this whole book an intense and moving poetic quality.
Yakir Ben-Moshe

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shuki Gutman
• Release date: Jun 25, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005037628

Shuki Gutman

Shuki Gutman was born in 1966 in Kfar Saba, Israel. He is a poet, educator, and lecturer in poetic intelligenceHe studied political science, sociology and anthropology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Has a Master's degree in multidisciplinary teaching from Oranim Academic College of Education.In 1999, Gutman wrote and sang the song, "Doesn't Fit Anyone." The music was composed by Lior Ben Shlush and arranged by Nathan Cohen. The song was broadcast on several radio stations, including the “Voice of Israel”. In 2018 his poem “Krembo Boy” was turned into a song by Itsik Ovadia and his poem “Superfluous” was made into a song by Limor Azaria.Gutman studied poetry at the Helicon Poetry School in Tel Aviv. School in Tel Aviv. He went on to publish four books in Hebrew “Psanter Mushtak Kol” [Muted Piano (Pardes, 2016)], “Mikud Atzmi” [Focal Point (Eshkolot Poetika, 2018)] ], “Kochavim Bayom” [Stars by Day, Iton 77, 2020.] and “Lean Ata Ratz?” [What's the Rush? (Eshkolot Poetika, 2020)]His work has been featured in various literary reviews and newspapers, including “Ha'aretz,” “Ma'ariv” and “Israel Today.” In 2016, his poem “Greetings” was published in an anthology about the war in Syria, edited by “Ha'aretz.”In 2016, Gutman founded the poetry group “Eshkolot Poetica,” which conducts readings and lectures about poetry.

Book preview