Genesis in Poetry
- Arts & Literature
- Publisher: Wipf and Stock
- Published: 2019
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Publisher's Description
If you are searching for a straightforward retelling of the book of Genesis in a modern idiom, this is not the book for you. If you are looking exclusively for a poetic rendering of the simple text, you've picked up the wrong book. If you are primarily after a textual commentary, you'll expect one that is far more expansive. If, however, you are after a lively, dramatic, highly original, and entertaining retelling of the Genesis stories in rhymed verse, which skillfully synthesizes both critical literary analysis and exotic, folkloristic, and occasionally whimsical elements--then this book is a must! The general reader will be charmed by what one influential British poet, Ann Sansom, has described as its "close rhymes and steady rhythm [which] are indeed very musical." The student of Bible and folklore will be especially interested in the detailed "Notes to the Text," providing the sources for and rationales of the many supplements to the familiar traditional text.
Endorsements (6)
“A joy to read aloud and to listen to. Each section vivifies the experiences of the biblical personalities and brings them together in animated discussion.”
“I was greatly tempted to sing parts of it. The close rhymes and steady rhythm are indeed very musical.”
“Among the acclamations I heard were ‘brilliant,’ ‘highly original and refreshing,’ ‘inspiring,’ and ‘intriguing and provocative.’”
“I do congratulate Jeffrey Cohen on the vitality and range of feeling that he achieves. The lines Hamor speaks, in smooth, assured, and superficial tones, in Cohen’s telling of the story, make this heartless and powerful figure as vivid as Claudius celebrating his assumption of Denmark’s throne at the opening of Hamlet.’’”
“Cohen’s poetry is, by any standards, masterly, and deserves a wider audience. I found his performance (excuse the word, but it had a distinctive media feel) educational, intellectually stimulating, and entertaining. No mean feat!’’”
“The saying, ‘Poetry is what gets lost in translation,’ is manifestly disproved by Cohen’s brilliant rendering of Genesis in Poetry in this original work.”
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