Poems by Balfour hakak

About the poet Balfour hakak

Biography:

CURRICULUM VITAE - BALFOUR HAKAK

Personal Details: I was born in Iraq (1948)on the date of Israel Decleration ofIndependence. My twin brother is Herzl. Our family emigrated to Israel at 1950. At the age of 17 I won the championship of the International Bible Quiz (1965). (My twin brother was vice champion in this quiz).

Army service in the Israel Defence Forces (1966 - 1969).

I am married and I have three sons.

Adress: rekhasim 12 p.o.b 10081 zur hadassa; israel 99875

Academic Studies:1970 -1977 Hebrew Literature and Bible,

The Hebrew University, Jerusalem,

B.A. and M.A. degrees both with distinction.

Publications:7 poetry books:"jemini Poems", Lights of love", "Wedding Wood", "Genealogy Poems" , “Homeland Poems “, “poems from the Mystic Garden “, “State of Mind”.

  A Literary Research: "The Prose of Berdizchevsky"

  3 Children Books: "Carmella"

                          “Twins “, “ Balagana”..

I also won two literary prizes.

Chibat Hapiout – Interpretation of holy songs

Taut Hazor – Hebrew Lexicon

Careers: Young journalist at Ma`ariv La'noar, 1963 - 1966

  Teaching in Highschool: 1974 -1987

  Curriculum Planning, The Israeli Curriculum Centre,

  Ministry of Education & Culture, 1977 -

  Editting: A Teachers' Journal: "Chinnuch Al Haperek"

  (Education in Action) 1986 –1999.

Public Activities:Vice chairmain in the Hebrew Writers Association

  including membership in its Central Board 

                                     1982 –1996. 2000-2002.  

                                     Membership in P. E. N central board in Israel ( 1997 -2000 ).

  Founding of an Association of Zionist Writers,

  A Volunteer Organization, active in under-privileged schools (in 

  Migdal Haemek ,Kiryat-Shmona,Karmiel Etc.)

  Membership in the Jerusalem Sepharadi Board

  Membership in the Association for the

  Jewish-Iraqi Heritage

  Membership in the”Hamiphal “- Educational children ‘s          

                                     homes/   

April 2002

THE SIGHT OF THE HEART- Balfour Hakak

from the Hebrew by: Esther Cameron

Ever since you arose in my thought

You have been saying to me from a distance:

Your face is the face of a seraph

And you are one of the riders in the Chariot

We loved together in aimless motion

We lived together in a place of punishment

Those who go there are entwined, their soul goes out

Those who go there do not return.

 

Blue rivers then were of fire

You were a queen in beauty

I was a king in majesty

And we both loved according to the word.

 

Never forget:

We ascended from all the abysses and the breakings

We saw much happiness, also pain,

But we were on the highest height of all:

We had sight of the heart.

Translation from the Hebrew by: Esther Cameron

A scroll of Lineage — New Version

Poem by Balfour Hakak. 

Translation from the Hebrew by Schulamith Chava Halevy  

My grandfather 

received from his father a parchment 

a scroll of lineage

and his father received from his  

and his father received from his 

father from father

back to the elders of the 

great Assembly

But when my father departed in his immaculate gown

when he ascended to his great ancestral land

the scroll blew into sighs

the scroll blew in the wind

names aflame

 letters afly

Ever since

lost still in the tempestuous storm

I seek after my trampled scroll

in the light of day 

 in the twilight of sorcery

Indeed, I must create

starting now

a scroll of lineage

 — a new scroll

One that begins with

me.

 בלפור חקק / מגילת יוחסין - נוסח חדש

סָבִי

קִבֵּל מֵאָבִיו מְגִלָּה

תְּעוּדַת יוּחֲסִין מְגִלַּת קְלָף

וְאָבִיו קִבֵּל מֵאָבִיו

וְאָבִיו קִבֵּל מֵאָבִיו

אָב מֵאָב

עַד זִקְנֵי הַכְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה.

וְכַאֲשֶר עָלָה זְקֵנִי בְּשׂלְמָתוֹ הַכְּלוּלָה

וְכַאֲשֶר עָלָה לאֶרֶץ אֲבוֹתָיו הַגְּדוֹלָה

עָפָה הַמְּגִלָּה לַאֲנָחוֹת

עָפָה הַמְּגִלָּה בָּרוּחוֹת

שֵמוֹת נִשְׂרָפִים וְאוֹתִיּוֹת פּוֹרְחוֹת.

מֵאָז

תּוֹעֶה עֲדַיִן בַּסּוּפָה הַקָּשָה

מְחַפֵּשׂ אַחַר מְגִלָּתִי הָרְמוּסָה

בָּאוֹר וּבָּאוֹב.

אֵין זֹאת כִּי אֶצְטָרֵךְ לִכְתֹּב

הָחֵל מֵעַכְשָו

מְגִלַּת יוּחֲסִין מְגִלָּה חֲדָשָה

הַמַּתְחִילָה בִּי

(מתוך : ואז בקץ היוחסין, 1987)

 מראה לב / בלפור חקק   

 מֵאָז שֶׁעָלִית בַּמַּחֲשָׁבָה

אָמַרְתְּ לִי מִמֶּרְחַקִּים:

פָּנֶיךָ פְּנֵי שָׂרָף

וְאַתָּה מִיּוֹרְדֵי מֶרְכָּבָה

אָהַבְנוּ יַחַד בְּטַלְטֵלָה לְלֹא כִּוּוּן

חָיִינוּ יַחַד בִּמְקוֹם פֻּרְעָנוּת

בָּאֶיהָ קְלוּעִים, יוֹצֵאת נִשְׁמָתָם

בָּאֶיהָ לֹא יְשׁוּבוּן.

נְהָרוֹת כְּחֻלִּים הָיוּ אָז דִּינוּר

אַתְּ הָיִיתָ מַלְכָּה בְּיָפְיָהּ

אֲנִי הָיִיתִי מֶלֶךְ בְּהוֹדוֹ

וּשְׁנֵינוּ אָהַבְנוּ עַל פִּי הַדִּבּוּר.

לְעוֹ

לָם אַל תִּשְׁכְּחִי:

עָלִינוּ מִכָּל הַתְּהוֹמוֹת וְהַשְּׁבָרִים

רָאִינוּ אֹשֶׁר רַב, גַּם כְּאֵב.

אַךְ הָיִינוּ בַּמַּעֲלָה הַנַּעֲלָה מִכֻּלָּן:

רָאִינוּ לַלֵּב

The cover of the book 'ladder of shattered vessels' by Balfour Hakak