4 out of 4 stars
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Mois Benarroch had to migrate with his family from Morocco to Israel. The Immigrant’s Lament is a chronicle of his life’s journey. It is a collection of free verse poems written in a poignant language, e.g., “Every day in my land is suffocation and every day abroad is oxygen!” The poet’s clarity of thought is striking. Yet, he writes, “The more I explain, the less I understand.”
On the one hand, Benarroch thinks he cannot remain in his marriage for six months, but nine years pass, and he is still with his wife; falling in love with her again and again. On the other hand, he weeps after she goes away to France without offering any explanation, but she sends their daughter back to him. Similar paradoxes abound in the pages.
The poems express the political situation and economic exploitation of migrants who are treated like commodities to be used and abused. Often, the author reveals his pain at the sight of slavery and amputation of limbs. The poet wants to say good-bye to himself but is instead forced to bid farewell to dear ones. His relatives are scattered in various countries. Benarroch ponders why he writes poems, feeling so frustrated that he ends up writing even more poems. He is a noted Israeli poet, publishing in several languages.
This book has 92 pages. The poems vary in length from a few lines to several pages. They present significant events and moments of crisis, especially in his immediate family. The author writes extensively about his lost childhood and how immigration made it worse. He is constantly moving back and forth or seems caught in-between. This liminal situation is very distressing. As the pressure builds up within himself, he finds a vent by writing poems. They truly emerge from the depths of his being and life experiences, trying to conscientize the reader. Immigration splits couples and families, destabilizing them. Some people retain traumatic memories of their homeland which they do not wish to identify with, but conflict situations force them to defend it. Life becomes insecure and uncertain.
What I liked most is that he speaks up against injustice towards immigrants. There is nothing that I disliked about the book. I am pleased to rate it 4 out of 4 stars. The pages are well edited, and I found only one typo. Adults with love for poetry will enjoy it. Social workers, politicians, and pastors should also read it. Children can keep away from these poems because they may feel disturbed. I hope to read more books authored by Mois Benarroch.
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The Immigrant's Lament
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