Open Closed Open

In poems marked by tenderness and mischief, humanity and humor, Yehuda Amichai breaks open the grand diction of revered Jewish verses and casts the light of his own experi­ence upon them. Here he tells of history, a nation, the self, love, and resurrection. Amichai’s last volume is one of medi­tation and hope, and stands as a testament to one of Israel’s greatest poets.

Open closed open. Before we are born, everything is open

in the universe without us. For as long as we live, everything is closed

within us. And when we die, everything is open again.

Open closed open. That’s all we are.

—from “I WASN’T ONE OF THE SIX MILLION:

   AND WHAT IS MY LIFE SPAN? OPEN CLOSED OPEN”

• Jewish Poetry Reimagined: Amichai breaks open revered biblical and historical verses, illuminating them with the raw, intimate light of his own experience.
• Meditations on Life and Death: Explore the profound cycle of ‘open closed open’—from the universe before birth to the world after death.
• A Lyrical, Human Voice: Discover poems marked by Amichai’s signature tenderness and mischief, where grand themes of history and love are found in the details of everyday life.
• A Final, Hopeful Testament: Witness the parting thoughts of one of Israel’s greatest poets in a collection that balances memory with hope, and stands as a capstone to a monumental career.