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from
ABULAFIA'S CIRCLES
by
Jerome Rothenberg
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o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o oAUTHOR'S NOTE:
At conclusion of Poland 1931 & A Big Jewish Book, I was left with after-images of largely unresolved messianic figures: historic & mythic. Of these, three appear in the present series: Abraham Abulafla, Jacob Frank, & Tristan Tzara. ABULAFIA (1240-c.1291) was a mystic & poet, whose most developed visual/meditative work took the form of 200 mandalic circles, made up of letters & words. He also adopted the name of the angel Raziel, went as messiah to interrogate the pope, was arrested & condemned to die, & only escaped after the pope's own death. FRANK (1726-1791), born Yakov Leivich in Podolia, recognized himself as messiah in the fullest sense, followed Sabbatai Zevi into Islam, & from there took the further road to Roman Catholicism. Legends of sensuality surrounded him, tied in with his proclamation of his daughter, Eva, as the female aspect of God. TZARA, born Sammy Rosenstock in Moinesti, Rumania, was the central poet of Zurich & early Paris Dada, who wrote: "Let every man shout: there is a great negative work of destruction to be done. Sweeping, cleaning. The cleanliness of the individual affirms itself after the state of madness, the aggressive complete madness of a world left in the hands of bandits who vandalize & destroy the centuries... Those strong in words or in strength will survive, for they are quick to defend themselves." His own path went through poetry & communism, & he made no messianic claims.
Abulafia's Circles was published by Membrane Press (now Light and Dust Books) in 1979. Copies of the complete book are available from Light and Dust and from Small Press Distribution. Copyright 1979 by Jerome Rothenberg.
Light and Dust Mobile Anthology of Poetry.