Harvest: Collected Poems And Prayers

by Ruth F. Brin

Brings back into print a collection of poetry and prayers widely used in contemporary Jewish religion.

Genres: Poetry, Judaism

246 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1986

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author wrote these poems between 1950 and 1985. It felt to me that the poems were too constrained, a bit too much of an intellectual exercise--which didn't seem surprising since Ms. Brin was "a liturgical pioneer...when most Jewish women still seemed content with their traditional subordinate role in public worship". Fortunately, we are in a different era in Jewish worship. The poems that crossed time and spoke to me were the ones in which Ms. Brin wrote of deep personal moments of loss: "For my father: Home Movies", "Through April" and two High Holy Day poems: "for the Blessings" and "Al Het". and finally a poem about being a poet:

With words
I must make a poem
a vine that grows
blossoms, and bears fruit,
With words I must press the grapes,
make the wine,
and create the sensation
as it flows down your throat.

In each of these poems I heard not just the voice of the poet but her passion.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book of poetry and prayers. The one poem that spoke to me was When Death Comes. I can very much relate to that poem!!