4 out of 4 stars
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I read Mois Benarroch's collection of poetry in one sitting. The writing style was delightful and enjoyable. Benarroch has an almost conversational style of writing. I felt as though he were actually in the room talking and sharing his poems. I feel that I was involved in his life experiences of the countries in which he lived.
Even though some of the poems were depressing, there seems to be an undercurrent hope of better things to come in life. The book is such a personal look into an immigrant's life, and is beautifully written in free verse. The book of poems is well organized and easy to read. Each poem in the collection is interesting and filled with memories and deep reflections.
The fifty-three poems range from themes such as war and injustice to religion, politics and love. My favorite poems were those involving family and a sense of belonging. I felt my heart would break when I read the words "I had everything in Morocco except what I needed, air to breathe, time to think, time to create, to be myself, to be a child and dream." The author must have been painfully aware of what was occurring at that time. He was growing up in a strange land when his family moved to Isreal when he was only twelve. His thoughts must have been forming even then as he was living in a totally different culture.
The poet does not dwell on one subject too long, but he seems to move onto another path that takes you down a different direction and gives rise to another emotion. The poems are so easy to read, whether you read the book in its entirety or leisurely read poem by poem. Either way, the book is an enjoyable read.
I have no idea what it must be like to have been an immigrant and to have been like a stranger looking for something better and consistently finding loss of some type. The poems reflect what it must feel like to be in a land that does not feel like home. The reader gets a glimpse into lives, memories and reflections. I would recommend this book to all readers who love poetry and to those readers who have never read a poem. The book feels as though it were professionally edited. I rated this book a 4 out of 4 stars and look forward to reading other works of this author.
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The Immigrant's Lament
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