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War Surrounds Us
Michael Dickel's third book of poetry collects poems he wrote during the Israel-Hamas conflict of summer, 2014. The poems evoke a resistance to the violence all around, and make acute observations of its effects on family and daily life—from the provocations before, through the disruptions of rockets falling on Jerusalem and devastating loss of human life during attacks on Gaza, and past the line of failed cease fires to an uneasy truce. The closely observed incongruence of daily life while war rages comes through as the poet witnesses his young son's responses and considers the question of the future we want versus the one that is coming.
64 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
13 people want to read
About the author
Michael Dickel
9 books110 followers
Michael Dickel
, a poet, fiction writer, and photographer, has taught at various colleges and universities in Israel and the U.S. He co-edited Voices Israel Volume 36 (2010). He was managing editor for arc-23 and 24. Is a Rose Press released his most recent book (flash fiction), The Palm Reading after The Toad’s Garden in 2016.
Previous books are: War Surrounds Us , Midwest / Mid-East , and The World Behind It, Chaos… He co-edited with Sandra Tyler The Woven Tale Press Selected Works 2015 & Empty Spaces Project Exhibit/i> , an eclectic selection of literary and art work produced to accompany an exhibit of artists who had been featured in the The Woven Tale Press monthly magazine.
With producer / director David Fisher, he received an NEH grant to write a movie script about Yiddish theatre. Dickel’s writing, art, and photographs appear in print and online. A chapbook of political poetry came out in 2017 from Locofo Chaps (Chicago), Breakfast at the End of Capitalism (free PDF download, scroll down to somewhere around row 13).
Previous books are: War Surrounds Us , Midwest / Mid-East , and The World Behind It, Chaos… He co-edited with Sandra Tyler The Woven Tale Press Selected Works 2015 & Empty Spaces Project Exhibit/i> , an eclectic selection of literary and art work produced to accompany an exhibit of artists who had been featured in the The Woven Tale Press monthly magazine.
With producer / director David Fisher, he received an NEH grant to write a movie script about Yiddish theatre. Dickel’s writing, art, and photographs appear in print and online. A chapbook of political poetry came out in 2017 from Locofo Chaps (Chicago), Breakfast at the End of Capitalism (free PDF download, scroll down to somewhere around row 13).
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 12, 2022
It could be argued that there are as many different styles of poetry as there are people who write it. So when I received my copy of Dickel's latest collection, I had an open mind. I was aware of his reputation and had read the odd poem published elsewhere, but I had no idea what to expect.
This is an economically sized paperback, or so-called chapbook, that would fit into a small bag or generous sized pocket. I suspect the well of inspiration and pool of material from which this collection was drawn, is much larger than the selected poems. However, the reach of the poetry in this book goes far beyond its pages.
There was no obvious rhyme or regular scansion and each poem sets out on its journey in an almost casual, conversational way, seemingly painting an everyday backdrop to the scene that is about to unfold. Some poets try to grab your attention from the first line and keep it till the final punch of its conclusion. Dickel's style of scene painting seems to buck this idea, but the message quickly becomes clear. I can't think of a better way of describing this than attention-seeking by stealth; he just pulls you in like a skilled fisherman would his catch.
As a man who has lived and worked in what outsiders might think of as a dangerous place, amidst the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, you would expect this material to be weighty, but it isn't; at least not obviously. It is therefore a much lighter read than you'd expect. But it has such undertones, such colourful and moving descriptive power, that it makes you feel it could change the World.
“The Roses” is one of many examples in this collection. It starts … “A humanitarian ceasefire brought quiet
for a couple of hours, at least, although
a few rockets just flew out of Gaza.
These things happen - unfortunately.”
This poem then passes through a few more very ordinary descriptives
“…my son went to preschool.
My daughter plays in her daycare. My wife
has gone to work…”
through the poetic imagery of “the morning’s bright cerulean sky” and “the crimson bud” of a flower that brings hope… despairingly, but momentarily (I suspect) reveals “the futility of words and ideas”
“like a five-hour ceasefire, or like a truce
without resolution of all the injustices
on both sides …”
“… I write this poem, this fantasy
of connecting to you, my enemy, my lover across
the border, and finding a common ground
where we might plant our gardens together”
There is so much more to this dialogue and to the whole collection, which I thoroughly recommend you read before you die. Between the covers you will find synergy; its effect is so much greater than the sum of its words.
This is an economically sized paperback, or so-called chapbook, that would fit into a small bag or generous sized pocket. I suspect the well of inspiration and pool of material from which this collection was drawn, is much larger than the selected poems. However, the reach of the poetry in this book goes far beyond its pages.
There was no obvious rhyme or regular scansion and each poem sets out on its journey in an almost casual, conversational way, seemingly painting an everyday backdrop to the scene that is about to unfold. Some poets try to grab your attention from the first line and keep it till the final punch of its conclusion. Dickel's style of scene painting seems to buck this idea, but the message quickly becomes clear. I can't think of a better way of describing this than attention-seeking by stealth; he just pulls you in like a skilled fisherman would his catch.
As a man who has lived and worked in what outsiders might think of as a dangerous place, amidst the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, you would expect this material to be weighty, but it isn't; at least not obviously. It is therefore a much lighter read than you'd expect. But it has such undertones, such colourful and moving descriptive power, that it makes you feel it could change the World.
“The Roses” is one of many examples in this collection. It starts … “A humanitarian ceasefire brought quiet
for a couple of hours, at least, although
a few rockets just flew out of Gaza.
These things happen - unfortunately.”
This poem then passes through a few more very ordinary descriptives
“…my son went to preschool.
My daughter plays in her daycare. My wife
has gone to work…”
through the poetic imagery of “the morning’s bright cerulean sky” and “the crimson bud” of a flower that brings hope… despairingly, but momentarily (I suspect) reveals “the futility of words and ideas”
“like a five-hour ceasefire, or like a truce
without resolution of all the injustices
on both sides …”
“… I write this poem, this fantasy
of connecting to you, my enemy, my lover across
the border, and finding a common ground
where we might plant our gardens together”
There is so much more to this dialogue and to the whole collection, which I thoroughly recommend you read before you die. Between the covers you will find synergy; its effect is so much greater than the sum of its words.
Displaying 1 of 1 review