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Chana Bloch, author of the prize-winning Mrs. Dumpty, and co-translator of the Selected Poetry of Yehuda Amichai and the Song of Songs, directs the Creative Writing Program at Mills College, Oakland, CA.

The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry was saddened to learn of Chana Bloch’s passing at the age of 77 on May 19, 2017. UC Berkeley offered a lovely tribute and look at her life and accomplishments here.

Open Closed Open 2001 Shortlist

Harcourt, USA

Judges’ Citation

The challenge of rendering the range of his tone has been met with extraordinary amplitude and aplomb by Chana Bloch and Chana Kronfeld.

These last poems by the greatest Israeli poet of the modern era are marked by the humanity and humor, which have always characterized his work. Here they seem even more depth-charged, as when he writes, ‘When you go out for a night patrol, fill your canteen to the top/so the water won’t make a sloshing sound and give you away./That’s how your soul ought to be in your body, large and full and silent.’ The challenge of rendering the range of his tone has been met with extraordinary amplitude and aplomb by Chana Bloch and Chana Kronfeld.


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