Review of Israeli poet Nathan Zach’s poem ‘Recalled and forgotten’

 

Review of Israeli poet Nathan Zach’s poem ‘Recalled and forgotten’

https://www.poetryinternational.org/pi/poem/3433/auto/0/0/Natan-Zach/Recalled-and-Forgotten/en/tile

Nathan Zach’s lengthy poem is very simple and straight, and in the first reading only the magical realism part is visible. Magical realism is chosen by a seasoned writer or poet only when there is something complex which can be better understood by visualisation than narration.

Let’s look at the scenes in the order depicted in the poem:

There was a man who had mastered the art of walking on water. The timings of his lonely walk on water, and how far he went, and what was the purpose remained mysterious.

The water in the rivers was receding and the fishermen were not able to catch fishes even for their families’ consumption. They were unable to make both ends meet.

People learn he went to his boss and in that scenario he didn’t walk on water. He doesn’t make public appearance and is slowly forgotten by people. Now he figures in the travel related magazines or under the heading ‘folklore’.

The reason for the poet’s choice of magical realism is to highlight that each person has to manage is his show. If need be you learn to walk on water too. But your problems are in no way the concern for others. People who relished sea foods happily never thought about the starving fishermen when the waters receded. None is going to remember anything.

The poet subtly hints everything becomes history and mostly forgotten. The oddity remains and not the actual struggle in the pages of history. The poet has expressed his anguish about the struggle for survival of the marginalized magically and poetically.

The poem is relevant and relatable in the present times of humanity’s struggle with the pandemic. After generations, the pandemic will be visible for the later generations, but its impact and plight of marginalized might not get the deserving attention.