As ESRA Magazine quite often publishes poems, I take for granted that readers are not scared, not dismissive, not ignorant of poetry. They will find that the poems of the 2021 Voices Israel Anthology are approachable, interesting and enjoyable. Each has a strong emotional appeal.
The book has three sections: the Anthology itself; the Bar Sagi Prize; and the Reuben Rose Competition.
The Bar Sagi Prize section has a short introduction explaining the origin of the prize.
If you have English-speaking children or grandchildren, introduce them to the poems in English of writers aged 12 to 19. Each poem has its personal point of view. Topics cover friendship, love, success, failure, the challenges of growing up, and the present state of the world. The poets are down-to-earth, critical of certain situations, open about their responses, and can smile at their own foibles – a perfect present for your family's young people.
The fine poems of the Reuben Rose Competition speak for themselves. Many of the writers appear also in the Anthology section, where you find poets from Israel, Australia, the USA, Italy, Canada and the UK. The Voices Anthology is, every year, an international publication.
The subjects of the Anthology section move seamlessly from the corona virus to the Holocaust, the passing of time, love, friends and family, objects owned, loss, foreign visits, animals and the weather. We meet both familiar and novel types and situations.
In my pedestrian way, I usually read a collection of poems in order, from beginning to end. If you like to open a book and pause at random, watch out for Dina Yehuda's "Because He Walked Down that Aisle", Judith Robinson's "Forgive Her",
Sandra Braude's "The Cat with Topaz Eyes," Mark L. Levinson's "Miniatures" with its final ambiguity, and Celia Merlin's "Valentine Tulips". As there is an excellent list of poets for the Anthology, and separate lists for the other two sections, you will be able easily to find the poets you particularly appreciate.
I have one query: Other than Elana Dorfman's "Sharks and Other Dangers", with its wonderful last line, where's the humor? Can good poems not be light-hearted? I found I had to turn to the Bar Sagi writers for some fun.
In ESRA Magazine # 210, you'll find an article by Wendy Blumfield: "Voices at 50". A few pages further on you'll find four poems.