Spirit of Israel by Hyman Edelstein

Spirit of israel By Hyman Edelstein; Ryerson Poetry Chapbook Series published by Ronald P. Frye and Co, Book Publishers, Toronto Canada. Poems by Twentieth Century Canadian poets, Cover art by Andrew Farrugia.

“Born in Dublin, Ireland, Hyman Edelstein was educated at the famous Dublin High School and at Dublin University, of which he was a First Rank Classical Honourman and Prizeman. He was First-in-all-Ireland Classical Exhibitioner. He came to Canada in 1912 and settled in Montreal where he was editor of English-Jewish journals. He has contributed to Jewish periodicals in Canada and the United States and is the author of a number of books including From Judean Vineyards and Canadian Lyrics.”

From “Spirit of Israel”:

The Cross On The Hill

Beside his news-stand on the curb
Where the wild crowds tear past,
Or flee for the tram-cars homeward,
An old Jew shivers against a pole
That points above him with top be-crossed …
The snow is hard and cold under his feet.
His small son, between blowings of his ungloved hands,
Serves the papers, and clutches the pennies,
And over all
High from the Hill shines white the glittering Cross…

The groaning tram-cars speed their burdens home,
And now but straggling passers pick a paper or two
A bitter wind now sweeps from the hill,
And blows a frozen Jew against a pole
As if impaled …
Old Reb Moissel and his hundred-thousand-year-old Hebrews
Serenely slumber
In this Sepulchre of all Pharaohs …

Calm sleeps the Ghetto tonight …

Featuring cover artwork by Andrew Farrugia.