Norbert Hirschhorn
Poems Re-imagined from Yiddish FolksongsSample Passages
The Happy Conscript
Call me Yosl Ber. You can call me pisher, it’s sweet fuck-all to me. I used to be a cobbler’s lackey licking boot soles, dawn to dark. Now I’ve joined the Czarist army and clomp around in combats. I eat regular in the army, pork sausage with cheese. In the shtetl when a Jew eats a chicken, one of them is sick.
What do Jews ever inherit but hemorrhoids and heartburn? I wear a uniform, I carry a gun. When a worm sits in horseradish it thinks it’s in heaven. Nine rabbis can’t make a minyan, but they’ll take ten of the likes of me. They hate me, those whiskers, declare me a meshumad, spouting Talmud from their mouths like turds from a goat. They should run to the toilet every three minutes. They should grow like onions with their heads in the dirt.
To be a Jew is like being buried in the ground baking bagels. But being in the Czarist army, ah! a resurrection. I can go to any tavern in my fine uniform, boots and sword and give the barmaid a wink. And she’ll give me a wink. And then we’ll wink together. For a glass of milk, you don’t have to buy the whole cow.
minyan – gathering of ten men required to begin prayers; meshumad – apostate
The Happy Conscript is one of the poems in To Sing Away the Darkest Days – Poems Re-imagined from Yiddish Folksongs. The poetry book can be bought from this page.
Yiddish Folksongs which inspired Norbert Hirschhorn
Cave Song
A re-imagination of the poem in Yiddish, Zog Maran (‘Say, Marrano’) by Abraham Reisen (1876-1953), set to song by Samuel Bugatch (1898-1984).
Link to song
Scapegoats
A re-imagination of Dos Kelbl (‘The Little Calf’), also known as Dona, Dona. Rendition by the duo, Zupfgeigenhansel.
Link to song
Ten Brothers
A re-imagination of traditional lyrics set to music by Abraham Ellstein (1907-1963). A fine rendition by André Heller.
Link to song
Make a Living
A re-imagination of the Yiddish folksong, Bin Ikh Mir a Shnayderl (‘I’m a Little Tailor’), author unknown.
Link to song
The Little Stove
A re-imagination of the classic Yiddish song, Oyfn Pripetshik (‘Atop the Stove’) by Mark Warshavsky (1840-1907).
Link to song
From My Mouth
A re-imagination of the song Rozhinkes Mit Mandlen (‘Raisins with Almonds’), one of the best beloved of Yiddish folksongs, written by Abraham Goldfaden (1840-1906) for his operetta, Shulamis, based on a traditional song, Unter Yankeles Vigele.
Link to song
From Podwoloczyska To Ellis Island
A re-imagination of the traditional folksong, Her Nor, Du Sheyn Meydele (‘Listen, Pretty Girl’).
Link to song
My Cousin The Greenhorn
A re-imagination of a popular Yiddish song, Di Grine Kuzine (‘The Greenhorn Cousin’), music by Abraham Schwartz (1881-1963), lyrics by Hyman Prizant.
Link to song & link to the Klezmer version
Mayn Rue-Plats
A re-imagination of the Yiddish song, Mayn Rue-Plats (‘My Resting Place’) written by Morris Rosenfeld (1862-1923).
Link to song & link to alternative version
To Life!
A re-imagination of A Glezele Lekhayim (‘A Little Glass to Life’), words by B. Bergholtz (n.d.); original music by Joseph Rumshinsky (1881-1956).
Link to song
The Happy Conscript
A re-imagination of the several-versioned song, Yosl Ber, original words by Itsik Manger (1901-1969).
Link to song
Tristesse
A re-imagination of Di Goldene Pave (‘The Golden Peacock’); original poem by Anna Margolin (1887-1952).
Link to song
A Punter’s Lament
A re-imagination of a raucous folk song, Dem Ganevs Yikhes (‘The Thief’s Pedigree’), also known as Far Vos Bistu Ketsele Broyges (‘Why are You Angry, Pussycat?’)
Link to song
A Yiddishe Mama Laments
A response to the classic paean to all Jewish mothers, Mayn Yidishe Mame, sung by the famous cantor Yosef Rosenblatt (1882-1933).
Link to song
Confessions
A re-imagination of the song Moyde Ani (‘I confess’). Lyrics by Mark Schweid (1891-1969), music by Michel Gelbart (1889-1962).
Link to song
The Quantum Rebbe
A re-imagination of the song Der Filosof (‘The Philosopher’) (originally Dos Gute Kepl by Wolf Zbarzher (1826?-1883))
Link to song
To Sing Away the Darkest Days, a collection of poems re-imagined from these Yiddish folksongs, was launched on 11 June at 7pm at the London Jewish Cultural Centre. Enjoy the photos!
The Happy Conscript
Call me Yosl Ber. You can call me pisher, it’s sweet fuck-all to me. I used to be a cobbler’s lackey licking boot soles, dawn to dark. Now I’ve joined the Czarist army and clomp around in combats. I eat regular in the army, pork sausage with cheese. In the shtetl when a Jew eats a chicken, one of them is sick.
What do Jews ever inherit but hemorrhoids and heartburn? I wear a uniform, I carry a gun. When a worm sits in horseradish it thinks it’s in heaven. Nine rabbis can’t make a minyan, but they’ll take ten of the likes of me. They hate me, those whiskers, declare me a meshumad, spouting Talmud from their mouths like turds from a goat. They should run to the toilet every three minutes. They should grow like onions with their heads in the dirt.
To be a Jew is like being buried in the ground baking bagels. But being in the Czarist army, ah! a resurrection. I can go to any tavern in my fine uniform, boots and sword and give the barmaid a wink. And she’ll give me a wink. And then we’ll wink together. For a glass of milk, you don’t have to buy the whole cow.
minyan – gathering of ten men required to begin prayers; meshumad – apostate
The Happy Conscript is one of the poems in To Sing Away the Darkest Days – Poems Re-imagined from Yiddish Folksongs. The poetry book can be bought from this page.
Yiddish Folksongs which inspired Norbert Hirschhorn
Cave Song
A re-imagination of the poem in Yiddish, Zog Maran (‘Say, Marrano’) by Abraham Reisen (1876-1953), set to song by Samuel Bugatch (1898-1984).
Link to song
Scapegoats
A re-imagination of Dos Kelbl (‘The Little Calf’), also known as Dona, Dona. Rendition by the duo, Zupfgeigenhansel.
Link to song
Ten Brothers
A re-imagination of traditional lyrics set to music by Abraham Ellstein (1907-1963). A fine rendition by André Heller.
Link to song
Make a Living
A re-imagination of the Yiddish folksong, Bin Ikh Mir a Shnayderl (‘I’m a Little Tailor’), author unknown.
Link to song
The Little Stove
A re-imagination of the classic Yiddish song, Oyfn Pripetshik (‘Atop the Stove’) by Mark Warshavsky (1840-1907).
Link to song
From My Mouth
A re-imagination of the song Rozhinkes Mit Mandlen (‘Raisins with Almonds’), one of the best beloved of Yiddish folksongs, written by Abraham Goldfaden (1840-1906) for his operetta, Shulamis, based on a traditional song, Unter Yankeles Vigele.
Link to song
From Podwoloczyska To Ellis Island
A re-imagination of the traditional folksong, Her Nor, Du Sheyn Meydele (‘Listen, Pretty Girl’).
Link to song
My Cousin The Greenhorn
A re-imagination of a popular Yiddish song, Di Grine Kuzine (‘The Greenhorn Cousin’), music by Abraham Schwartz (1881-1963), lyrics by Hyman Prizant.
Link to song & link to the Klezmer version
Mayn Rue-Plats
A re-imagination of the Yiddish song, Mayn Rue-Plats (‘My Resting Place’) written by Morris Rosenfeld (1862-1923).
Link to song & link to alternative version
To Life!
A re-imagination of A Glezele Lekhayim (‘A Little Glass to Life’), words by B. Bergholtz (n.d.); original music by Joseph Rumshinsky (1881-1956).
Link to song
The Happy Conscript
A re-imagination of the several-versioned song, Yosl Ber, original words by Itsik Manger (1901-1969).
Link to song
Tristesse
A re-imagination of Di Goldene Pave (‘The Golden Peacock’); original poem by Anna Margolin (1887-1952).
Link to song
A Punter’s Lament
A re-imagination of a raucous folk song, Dem Ganevs Yikhes (‘The Thief’s Pedigree’), also known as Far Vos Bistu Ketsele Broyges (‘Why are You Angry, Pussycat?’)
Link to song
A Yiddishe Mama Laments
A response to the classic paean to all Jewish mothers, Mayn Yidishe Mame, sung by the famous cantor Yosef Rosenblatt (1882-1933).
Link to song
Confessions
A re-imagination of the song Moyde Ani (‘I confess’). Lyrics by Mark Schweid (1891-1969), music by Michel Gelbart (1889-1962).
Link to song
The Quantum Rebbe
A re-imagination of the song Der Filosof (‘The Philosopher’) (originally Dos Gute Kepl by Wolf Zbarzher (1826?-1883))
Link to song
To Sing Away the Darkest Days, a collection of poems re-imagined from these Yiddish folksongs, was launched on 11 June at 7pm at the London Jewish Cultural Centre. Enjoy the photos!