Chaim Nachman Bialik: After My Death Translation

After My Death by Chaim Nachman Bialik loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Say this when you eulogize me: Here was a man — now, poof, he's gone! He died before his time. The music of his life suddenly ground to a halt... Such a pity! There was another song in him, somewhere, but now it's been lost, forever. What a pity! He had a violin, a living, eloquent soul to which he uttered the secrets of his heart, setting its strings vibrating, save the one he kept inviolate. Back and forth his supple fingers twirled; one string alone remained mesmerized, yet unheard. Such a pity! All his life the string quivered, quavering silently, yearning for its song, its mate, as a heart falters before its departure. Despite constant delays it waited daily, mutely beseeching its savior, Love, who lingered, loitered, tarried incessantly and never came. Great was the pain! There was a man — now, poof, he's gone! The music of his life was suddenly interrupted. There was another song in him, somewhere, but now it is lost forever. Chaim Nachman Bialik (1873-1934), first name also Hayim or Haim, was a Jewish Holocaust poet who wrote in Hebrew. Bialik was one of the pioneers of modern Hebrew poetry; he came to be recognized as Israel's national poet and the foremost modern Hebrew poet. Keywords/Tags: Chaim Nachman Bialik, Hebrew, translation, Israel, life, music, violin, voice, sound, song, string, strings, heart, mate, love, pain, lost, forever