Book of Sparks: Psalms for a New World (Far Rockaway, NY: Waterloo Cottage Press, 2014)
A psalm, by definition, is an expression of elevation, a true form of devotional praise of, and for, G-d. To engage that praise, the original Psalms relied on the capacity for individual words to penetrate to deeper meaning, both alone and in concert with each other. As such, the psalm can also become a petition pled simultaneously with the praise. In the original Hebrew psalms, no translation out of that language could perform the necessary justice; the words are layered with nuances and twists and turns and edges of sound and texture that go beyond the two dimensions of transcription. To know the heart of a psalm, you must know its original tongue. Efrayim Levenson has done that for us in Book of Sparks. Here are psalms created in the English language that do that linguistic medium justice for expressing unprecedented meaning. In this collection, Levenson grasps the hem of deeper spirituality that lies within us, crying out for verbal expression.
Book of Sparks is the sizzling electric prayerbook for our lives, a collection of praises and love songs and tributes that are every bit as exuberant and crazy as Creation itself. "May I have this dance?" Efrayim Levenson, in one of these pieces, poses the question to G-d. If these poems are any indication of his intent, the answer couldn't be anything but yes.
A psalm, by definition, is an expression of elevation, a true form of devotional praise of, and for, G-d. To engage that praise, the original Psalms relied on the capacity for individual words to penetrate to deeper meaning, both alone and in concert with each other. As such, the psalm can also become a petition pled simultaneously with the praise. In the original Hebrew psalms, no translation out of that language could perform the necessary justice; the words are layered with nuances and twists and turns and edges of sound and texture that go beyond the two dimensions of transcription. To know the heart of a psalm, you must know its original tongue. Efrayim Levenson has done that for us in Book of Sparks. Here are psalms created in the English language that do that linguistic medium justice for expressing unprecedented meaning. In this collection, Levenson grasps the hem of deeper spirituality that lies within us, crying out for verbal expression.
- David P.B. Feder
Book of Sparks is the sizzling electric prayerbook for our lives, a collection of praises and love songs and tributes that are every bit as exuberant and crazy as Creation itself. "May I have this dance?" Efrayim Levenson, in one of these pieces, poses the question to G-d. If these poems are any indication of his intent, the answer couldn't be anything but yes.
- Matthue Roth
Funhouse (Hoboken, NJ: Poets Wear Prada, 2013)
“Efrayim’s work inspires the imagination and adds many pages to the book of humanity.”
Clif Jackson, Leader, Secret Orchestra
“In his new chapbook, Funhouse, Efrayim Levenson responds to the guitar virtuosity of Buckethead with a poetic soul-journey that reverbs through the wildest word riffs.”
“Efrayim Levenson’s Funhouse sends us on a wild nightmarish yet at times tender merry-go-round ride through his own private Coney Island and ours.”
“Efrayim’s work inspires the imagination and adds many pages to the book of humanity.”
Clif Jackson, Leader, Secret Orchestra
“In his new chapbook, Funhouse, Efrayim Levenson responds to the guitar virtuosity of Buckethead with a poetic soul-journey that reverbs through the wildest word riffs.”
- David Elsasser, Founder, Parkside Poetry Collective
“Efrayim Levenson’s Funhouse sends us on a wild nightmarish yet at times tender merry-go-round ride through his own private Coney Island and ours.”
- Steve Dalachinsky, PEN Award-winning poet
Dances With Tears (Hoboken, NJ: Poets Wear Prada, 2007)
“…a blast of Chasidic bebop ecstasy.”
“Thank you for the poem [Mordechai’s Day at the Beach]…beautiful…best wishes.”
“Efrayim’s poetry truly embodies the experience of a contemporary Jew who has found a very deep inspiration in his ancient roots…He is both optimist and realist.”
These chapbooks are available at: www.amazon.com
Poems published in: The Razor's Wine, NYSAI Magazine, Nomad's Choir, River Poets Journal, ArtVoice, Parkside Poetry Collection, What Happens Next?, Brownstone Poets Anthology, Poetica, Times Square Shout Out (blog), Riverside Poetry Workshop Anthology, Chabad of Rego Park’s Poetry Corner (blog), Medicinal Purposes, Above Water, Bflo. Journal, The Buffalo News’ Poetry Page, Pure Light, Foist, Earth’s Daughters, Tempus Fugit (Belgium), Swift Kick, ARTicles, The Grin, Blatherskite.
- Includes the 2008 Pushcart Prize nominated poem “& Ribbon”
- Second Edition released 2009
- Third Edition (pictured) released 2013
“…a blast of Chasidic bebop ecstasy.”
- Craig Fishbane, Author, On the Proper Role of Desire
“Thank you for the poem [Mordechai’s Day at the Beach]…beautiful…best wishes.”
- John Zorn, American composer and saxophone player
“Efrayim’s poetry truly embodies the experience of a contemporary Jew who has found a very deep inspiration in his ancient roots…He is both optimist and realist.”
- Rabbi Yossi Mendelson, Congregation Machane Chodosh
These chapbooks are available at: www.amazon.com
Poems published in: The Razor's Wine, NYSAI Magazine, Nomad's Choir, River Poets Journal, ArtVoice, Parkside Poetry Collection, What Happens Next?, Brownstone Poets Anthology, Poetica, Times Square Shout Out (blog), Riverside Poetry Workshop Anthology, Chabad of Rego Park’s Poetry Corner (blog), Medicinal Purposes, Above Water, Bflo. Journal, The Buffalo News’ Poetry Page, Pure Light, Foist, Earth’s Daughters, Tempus Fugit (Belgium), Swift Kick, ARTicles, The Grin, Blatherskite.