Tali Cohen Shabtai (Colours of Love and Barriers)

Tali Cohen Shabtai

Tali Cohen Shabtai, born in Jerusalem, Israel, is a highly-esteemed international poet with works translated into many languages. She has authored four bilingual volumes of poetry, "Purple Diluted in a Black’s Thick"(2007), "Protest" (2012) and "Nine Years From You" (2018). A fourth volume, "A Woman Like Me," will be released in 2022. Tali began writing poetry at the age of six. She lived for many years in Oslo, Norway, and the U.S.A. and her poems express both the spiritual and physical freedom paradox of exile. Her cosmopolitan vision is obvious in her writings.  Tali is known in her country as a prominent poet with a unique narrative. As one commentator wrote: “She doesn’t give herself easily, but is subject to her own rules.”

Ideology as a way of life

Women like me, yes

have been added over the years to overshadow 

what preceded us 

that is mostly 

not in line 

with our agenda.

The accepted wording is 

not what 

will satisfy our desires – 

Desires? Ours? Well then, I write 

in the female first person plural 

so as not to sound 

as one who sins with pretension 

as an individual woman, 

however 

I do not have many female friends for this journey 

and those who have already passed 

through a station or two 

according to 

the 

fixed 

rules 

of society

A woman like me 

tries 

to stay free 

from society 

and at the same time 

to be in it 

with boycotts in double-digit ages 

until the arrival 

of the adolescence age 

and beyond

I bear this bitter 

in 

sult 

so far.

So! Spare judging 

me 

that “Cohen Shabtai 

has rules 

of her own…” 

as Amos Levitan wrote about me.

I came 

with the goal of 

satiating inspirations 

based on 

my theories 

Therefore 

I collect poems of the margins of humankind, 

since 

they have a greater potential 

to waver from 

the conventions – 

just like me! 

With 50 cents 

in my wallet 

I 

live my own actions

lest

my inarticulate mouth 

will be passed over and my eyes? 

My eyes are blinded.

Women like me, particularly 

at the beginning of 

the fifteenth century 

were persecuted and burned 

for being independent and strong 

at the Catholic church’s instruction

Nowadays? You can petition 

the High Court of Justice. 

So it is for a woman like me

---

Colours of Love :: Setu, July 2022

Translation from Hebrew

Tali Cohen Shabtai

Tali Cohen Shabtai

1. Life of a poetess

Observable
In you
Upon acquaintance…

To uplift
My ancient countenance
In your beauty.

You must warn
Those who knew you
And those who are gone

About the mystery
Of
The custom wherein
Resides the burden
Of your doom

For in a woman

The case
Of such
Her life can only
Be known
By her
Death.
***



2. I am requesting

I am requesting to be
The/ woman
Without
Pain medication
On the face

Without straightening lines
On the profile

Yes?

The woman who has walked
Enough
With signs
From bodies in the
Esophagus.

And the breath
Will not be stopped
In any case !

Not by counting
Thirty four
In the time’s
Axis.

Understood?
***


3. I’ve never really been

Prowess is
Something
Born
I have known to observe
At a stranger
During my entire
Life.

I have known to labor
At the beginning of the
Night

In a disappointing light
That’s the way when one
Purchasing an understanding
Without a homeland.

And they approved my way
Just from the existence
Of
Lips

I have never really
Been
In this world.

(Translated from Hebrew by Eitan Medini)

---

Tali Cohen Shabtai was born in Jerusalem, Israel. She began writing poetry at the age of six, and began publishing her impressions in the school’s newspaper. Her poetry was first published in ‘Moznayim’ when she was fifteen. Tali has written three poetry books: Purple Diluted in a Black’s Thick, (bilingual 2007), Protest (bilingual 2012) and Nine Years Away From You (2018).

Tali studied at the "David Yellin College of Education" for a bachelor's degree. She is a member of the Hebrew Writers Association and the Israeli Writers Association in the state of Israel. In 2014, Cohen Shabtai also participated in a Norwegian documentary about poets' lives called "The Last Bohemian"- "Den Siste Bohemien",and screened in the cinema in Scandinavia. By 2020, her fourth book of poetry will be published which will also be published in Norway. Her literary works have been translated into many languages as well.

Translator: Eitan Medini MD

Born 1941 in Jerusalem under the British Mandate. Finished high school and military service followed by Medical school in Haddassah Jerusalem Israel. Did four years of training in Internal Medicine in Tel Hashomer hospital in Israel. In 1972 moved with wife Rashel and two children to USA. Took another four years of residency trading this time in Radiation Oncology. Since 1976 practice this specialty in Colorado and Minnesota.

Setu, April 2020

अनुवाद: ताली कोहेन शबताई की कविताएँ

ताली कोहेन शबताई हिब्रू की युवा कवि हैं। उनका जन्म 1980 में येरुशलम में हुआ। उनके तीन कविता संग्रह प्रकाशित हुए हैं और विश्व की कई भाषाओँ कविताओं के अनुवाद हुए हैं। वे इन दिनों ओस्लो, नॉर्वे में रहती हैं। इन कविताओं का अंग्रेज़ी से हिंदी में अनुवाद प्रसिद्ध कवि मंगलेश डबराल द्वारा किया गया है।

---

आत्मा से बाहर निकलने के लिए
(To exit out the soul)

मुझे मुक्त करनी होगी
यह राह
काँटो-गड्ढों-दरारों से

वरना
टूट कर अलग हो जायेंगे
मेरे पंख
तुरंत

और मेरे कपड़े
बदल जायेंगे
एक कैदी के कपड़ों में.
***


एक शरीर
(A body)

मैं माफी चाहती हूँ
जिस चीज से मैं बनी हूँ
उसकी संरचना मजबूत नहीं है

उसे हमेशा दो बार बनाना पड़ता है

मुमकिन है
बन जाए
दसवीं बार कोशिश करने पर


दसवीं बार में
एक ऐसी संरचना बनी है
जो मनुष्य जैसी नहीं है!
***


मैं नयी हूँ
(I am new)

वे नहीं जानते
मैं कहाँ से आयी हूँ
मुझे जोड़ना होगा पैर को
कमर के साथ
और कूल्हों को रीढ़ के साथ

तब भी यही तरीका काम आता है
जब अंग
शरीर से अलग किये जाते हैं
और एक कृत्रिम लेंस
लगाया जाता है आँख में

कौन कहता है कि संभव है
अंगों को
हटा देना
अपनी जगह से?
***

मंगलेश डबराल

एक फंदा
(A loop)

विचार
प्लास्टर की तरह
अटका हुआ
एक सूखे हुए घाव पर
जो सुबह ठीक जाता है
और मवाद छोड़ता रहता है
अगले दिन तक.

(Hebrew poetry of Tali Cohen Shabtai, translated from English by Mangalesh Dabral)
अनुवादक: 16 मई 1948 को टिहरी गढ़वाल, उत्तराखण्ड के काफलपानी गाँव में जन्मे मंगलेश डबराल हिन्दी के चर्चित कवि हैं। पूर्वाग्रह, अमृत प्रभात, जनसत्ता, और सहारा समय के संपादन विभागों में कार्य करने के बाद वे राष्ट्रीय पुस्तक न्यास से जुड़े।

सेतु, अप्रैल 2020