Playing Poetry - Ran Danker sings Never Ending Encounter - “Pgisha le ein ketz“ by Nathan Alterman

Commemorating 111 years to the birth of Nathan Alterman    On 14 August 1910, 111 years ago, Nathan Alterman was born in Warsaw. Alterman, who shook the foundations of Hebrew literature, was known for national poems (the most famous being The Silver Platter), but many other works expose his personal feelings.    We dedicate this new performance in our project Playing Poetry to Alterman’s birthday.    Stars Outside, Nathan Alterman’s first book of poetry, published in 1938, instantly changed the face of Hebrew poetry. Alterman was only 27 when he wrote these poems, and yet there is nothing unripe about them. Bold and mature, they changed the formula of Hebrew poetry, and were received with love and adoration by public and critics alike.    The book’s title was chiseled out of one of the columns of the poem Never Ending Encounter, the second song of the cycle. The opening song, Yet Again the Melody Returns, constitutes a door to the entire book.  Never Ending Encounter, brimming with drama, with its perfect sonorities and grandiose, enchanting tone, is considered a complex and intricate poem. It has been subject to numerous interpretations over the years. Many efforts were made to identify the female entity in the poem – is it a beloved woman, a muse or perhaps a divine spirit?    Not everyone was a fan of Alterman. The rivalry between the two Nathans – Nathan Alterman and the younger Nathan Zakh – is inevitably a part of the narrative of the new Hebrew song. Zakh rebelled against Alterman, like a son against his father, and in the 1950’s published an essay denigrating Alterman’s poetry. Zakh’s poetry offered a new model, a new subject, a look at the world through street talk.   However, in 2004, Zakh published a long poem, With Alterman in the Sand Dunes, in which he depicts an imaginary late encounter with Alterman in the dunes (considered by the readers an encounter of two literary giants): “To meet here, an everlasting encounter?! Look / What a biblical sight, / Everything is pictured like before the flood.”  This is not a rebellion, but a final gesture of love.    The poem Never Ending Encounter was set to music by Naomi Shemer and premiered by the Shlosharim (The Three’ngers) in 1969. It has since been frequently performed and is a staple of Hebrew song.  Never Ending Encounter - “Pgisha le ein ketz“ Lyrics: Nathan Alterman Music: Naomi Shemer Singer: Ran Danker Conductor: Guy Feder ———————————— Since you stormed upon me, I will play you forever,  In vain shall I put up a wall, in vain shall I shut you out!  My desire is for you and for me is your garden,  While my body spins, my arms lost!    In books only you are the sin and the judge.  Forever abrupt, my eyes are struck by you,  While on a battled street, bleeding raspberry sunsets,  You will bundle me in sheaves.    Do not plead with those who withdraw.  All alone, I will be a nomad in your lands.  My prayer asks for nothing,  My one and only prayer says: here you are!    Till the end of sadness, till the fountains of night  In long and empty ironclad streets,  My god commanded me to provide for your babies,  From my great poverty almonds and raisins.    Luckily our hearts are still captured in your hand,  Do not pity him when he tires of running,  Do not let him overshadow like a room  Without the stars that have remained outside.      There the moon burns like the kiss of a cook,  There the moist sky thunders its cough,  There a sycamore drops me a branch like a handkerchief  And I shall bow to it and pick it up.    And I know that to the sound of the drum,  In deaf and aching cities of trade,  One day I will fall, my head wounded,  To pick our smile from among the chariots.    Till the end of sadness, till the fountains of night  In long and empty ironclad streets,  My god commanded me to provide for your babies,  From my great poverty almonds and raisins.  ———————————— For more content, follow us on Instagram and Facebook Arrangement: Ilan Mochiach English Translation: Tal Rockman Director of Photography & Creative: Dror Heller Sound: Rafi Eshel, Yaron Aldema, Zohar Zaltz - Eshel Sound Studios Light Designer: Ronen Najar Light Programmer: Matti Murray P.A: Yoav Atzmon Animation: Gavriel Izaky #RanDanker #NeverEndingEncounter #PlayingPoetry