Agi Mishol ( he, אגי משעול; born October 20, 1947) is an Israeli poet. Considered by many to be one of Israel's most prominent and popular poets, Mishol's work has been published in several languages, and has won various awards including the

Zbigniew Herbert International Literary Award The Zbigniew Herbert International Literary Award (Polish: ''Międzynarodowa Nagroda Literacka im. Zbigniewa Herberta'') is a Polish international literature prize established in 2013 in Warsaw and named after a Polish poet, essayist, and morali ...

and the

Yehuda Amichai Yehuda Amichai ( he, יהודה עמיחי; born Ludwig Pfeuffer 3 May 1924 – 22 September 2000) was an Israeli poet and author, one of the first to write in colloquial Hebrew in modern times. Amichai was awarded the 1957 Shlonsky Prize, the ...

prize for literature.

Biography

Agi (Agnes) Fried (later Mishol) was born in

Cehu Silvaniei Cehu Silvaniei (, until 1854 , meaning "Czechs of Szilágy") is a town in Sălaj County, Crișana, Romania. Four villages are administered by the town: Horoatu Cehului (''Oláhhorvát''), Motiș (''Mutos''), Nadiș (''Szilágynádasd'') and Ulciug ...

Transylvania Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...

, Romania, to Hungarian-speaking

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

parents who survived the

Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...

. She was brought to Israel at the age of 4. Her parents ran a bicycle and electronics repair shop in

Gedera Gedera, or less commonly known as Gdera ( he, גְּדֵרָה), is a town in the southern part of the Shfela region in the Central District of Israel founded in 1884. It is south of Rehovot. In , it had a population of . History Gedera ...

, a small southern town. The family spoke mainly Hungarian at home. They lived in a small, one-room apartment in a housing project. Until she was drafted into the

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...

, Mishol slept on an armchair that opened into a bed. She began writing poetry at an early age, but did poorly in school. During her military service at the nuclear facility in

Dimona Dimona ( he, דִּימוֹנָה, ar, ديمونا) is an Israeli city in the Negev desert, to the south-east of Beersheba and west of the Dead Sea above the Arava valley in the Southern District of Israel. In its population was . The Shi ...

, she began studying literature at

Ben Gurion University of the Negev Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) ( he, אוניברסיטת בן-גוריון בנגב, ''Universitat Ben-Guriyon baNegev'') is a public research university in Beersheba, Israel. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has five campuses: the ...

. She was married briefly at 19 and a half. After her divorce she moved to

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

and did her BA and MA degrees in

Hebrew literature Hebrew literature consists of ancient, medieval, and modern writings in the Hebrew language. It is one of the primary forms of Jewish literature, though there have been cases of literature written in Hebrew by non-Jews. Hebrew literature was pro ...

Hebrew University of Jerusalem The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...

, where she attended a writing workshop given by

. In Jerusalem she met and married Giora Mishol, who was working for the Ministry of Absorption. They moved to

Kfar Mordechai Kfar Mordechai ( he, כְּפַר מָרְדְּכַי) is a moshav in central Israel. Located about 30 kilometers south of Tel Aviv, between Ashdod, Gedera and Yavne, it falls under the jurisdiction of Gederot Regional Council. In it had a popu ...

, a

Moshav A moshav ( he, מוֹשָׁב, plural ', lit. ''settlement, village'') is a type of Israeli town or settlement, in particular a type of cooperative agricultural community of individual farms pioneered by the Labour Zionists between 1904 an ...

next to her hometown

, where they grow

peach The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-fu ...

es,

persimmon The persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus ''Diospyros''. The most widely cultivated of these is the Oriental persimmon, ''Diospyros kaki'' ''Diospyros'' is in the family Ebenaceae, and a number of non-pers ...

s and

pomegranate The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punicoideae, that grows between tall. The pomegranate was originally described throughout the Mediterranean Basin, Mediterranean re ...

s. They have two children, Maya and Uri, seven cats and a dog. Mishol was an educator and Hebrew literature teacher at

Be'er Tuvia Be'er Tuvia ( he, בְּאֵר טוֹבִיָּה, ''Be'er Toviya'', "Tuvia's Well") is a moshav in the Southern District of Israel. Located near the city of Kiryat Malakhi, it falls under the jurisdiction of Be'er Tuvia Regional Council. In its ...

high school during the years 1976 to 2001. After retiring, she served as a senior lecturer at

Alma College Alma College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Alma, Michigan. It enrolls approximately 1,400 students and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Alma College is affiliat ...

for Hebrew Culture in

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...

between the years 2002 and 2008. In 2006 she was the artistic director of the International Poetry Festival, held in Mishkenot Sha'ananim,

. From 2011 to this date she leads the Helicon School of Poetry in

, where she also leads creative writing workshops. Mishol has lectured and taught creative writing at

Ben Gurion University Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) ( he, אוניברסיטת בן-גוריון בנגב, ''Universitat Ben-Guriyon baNegev'') is a public research university in Beersheba, Israel. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has five campuses: the ...

Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv University (TAU) ( he, אוּנִיבֶרְסִיטַת תֵּל אָבִיב, ''Universitat Tel Aviv'') is a public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. With over 30,000 students, it is the largest university in the country. Locate ...

, and the

Hebrew University The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...

in Jerusalem where she also served as Poet-in-Residence (2007). In 2018 Mishol's personal literary archive, including manuscripts, drafts, photographs, letters and diaries was moved to the

National Library of Israel The National Library of Israel (NLI; he, הספרייה הלאומית, translit=HaSifria HaLeumit; ar, المكتبة الوطنية في إسرائيل), formerly Jewish National and University Library (JNUL; he, בית הספרים הלא� ...

Literary career

Mishol is the author of 16 volumes of poetry. She self-published her first book, "Kodem Tafasti Rega," when she was 18 years old, but then recollected all copies in the bookshops and destroyed them. Her latest published book is "Mal'ach Hacheder" (Domestic Angel, Hakibutz Hameuhad). Her volume "Selected and New Poems" (2003, Hakibutz Hameuhad and

Bialik Institute Bialik Institute ( he, מוסד ביאליק, ''Mosad Bialik'') is a research institution and publishing house, mostly dealing with the history and culture of the Hebrew language. It was established in 1935 by the World Zionist Executive and the E ...

) has sold over 13,000 copies to this date. Mishol's poems have been set to music by various Israeli artists including Corinne Allal,

Yehudit Ravitz Yehudit Ravitz ( he, יהודית רביץ; born December 29, 1956) is an Israeli singer-songwriter, multidisciplinary artist, composer and music producer. She is one of the most successful and famous Israeli rock musicians, with a career spannin ...

and Ori Leshman, and adapted into theatrical works such as "Yanshufot" (Owls, 2004).

Themes

According to

Haim Gouri Haim Gouri ( he, חיים גורי; Gurfinkel; 9 October 1923 – 31 January 2018) was an Israeli poet, novelist, journalist, and documentary filmmaker. Widely regarded as one of the country's greatest poets, he was awarded the Israel Prize ...

, Agi Mishol has a broad poetic spectrum: "All flora and fauna near and far, varied and colorful landscapes, love and romance, powerful eroticism, revealing and concealing, being the only child of

Holocaust survivors Holocaust survivors are people who survived the Holocaust, defined as the persecution and attempted annihilation of the Jews by Nazi Germany and Axis powers, its allies before and during World War II in Europe and North Africa. There is no unive ...

who personally experienced the worse...It is poetry filled with rich

metaphors A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide (or obscure) clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas. Metaphors are often compared with ...

and ongoing observation of the human condition." In his introduction to "Selected and New Poems", Prof.

Dan Miron Dan Miron ( he, דן מירון, born 1934) is an Israeli-born American literary critic and author. An expert on modern Hebrew and Yiddish literature, Miron is a Professor emeritus at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is currently the Leonar ...

wrote: "Agi Mishol is a poet now standing at the height of her strength... Agi Mishol undoubtedly belongs to the great dynasty of female Hebrew poets –

Rachel Bluwstein Rachel Bluwstein Sela (20 September (Julian calendar) 1890 – 16 April 1931) was a Hebrew-language poet who immigrated to Palestine, then part of the Ottoman Empire, in 1909. She is known by her first name, Rachel ( he, רחל ), or as Ra ...

Yocheved Bat-Miriam Yocheved Bat-Miriam ( he, יוכבד בת-מרים; russian: Иохевед Бат-Мирьям; pen name of ''Yocheved Zhlezniak'') (5 March 1901 – 7 January 1980) was an Israeli poet. Bat-Miriam was Born in Belorussia to a Hasidic family. She st ...

, Lea Goldberg, Dalia Rabikovitch and

Yona Wallach Yona Wallach ( he, יונה וולך; June 10, 1944 – September 26, 1985) was an Israeli poet. Her surname also appears as Volach. She is considered a revolutionary Israeli Feminism, feminist and Postmodernism, post-modernist. Wallach was a pr ...

. In his book review in

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

of Look There (2006),

Joel Brouwer Joel Brouwer (born 1968) is an American poet, professor and critic. His most recent poetry collection is ''Off Message'' released in 2016 He is also the author of ''Exactly What Happened,'' which received the Larry Levis Prize from Virginia Comm ...

wrote: "Mishol... takes up political subjects with a sly delicacy reminiscent of the Polish poet Wislawa Szymborska's best work". According to

Amos Oz Amos Oz ( he, עמוס עוז; born Amos Klausner; 4 May 1939 – 28 December 2018) was an Israeli writer, novelist, journalist, and intellectual. He was also a professor of Hebrew literature at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. From 1967 onw ...

, "Agi Mishol's poems know how to tell a tale, to sing a song and also dance – all at one and the same time. I love the splendid surprises in them, the subtle and exact sadness, and the mysterious manner by which she makes this sadness overflow with hidden joy." In 2006

Naomi Shihab Nye Naomi Shihab Nye ( ar, نعومي شهاب ناي; born March 12, 1952) is an American poet, editor, songwriter, and novelist. Born to a Palestinian father and an American mother, she began composing her first poetry at the age of six. In total ...

wrote: "Agi Mishol's poems feel perfectly weighted. Her mix of honest empathy and care and elegant wit is deeply touching and enlivening."

Awards and recognition

* In 2020 Mishol joined the

Israel Institute for Advanced Studies The Israel Institute for Advanced Studies (; IIAS, or IAS in Israel) is a research institute in Jerusalem, Israel, devoted to academic research in physics, mathematics, the life sciences, economics, and comparative religion. It is a self-governi ...

as a
Artist in Residence
* In March 2019 Mishol was awarded the

. Members of award jury included

Yuri Andrukhovych Yurii Ihorovych Andrukhovych ( uk, Юрій Ігорович Андрухович) is a Ukrainian prose writer, poet, essayist, and translator. Biography In 1985, Andrukhovych co-founded the Bu-Ba-Bu poetic group, which stands for «burlesque ...

(Ukraine),

Edward Hirsch Edward M. Hirsch (born January 20, 1950) is an American poet and critic who wrote a national bestseller about reading poetry. He has published nine books of poems, including ''The Living Fire: New and Selected Poems'' (2010), which brings toget ...

(USA), Michael Krüger (Germany), Mercedes Montana (Spain), and

Tomasz Różycki Tomasz Różycki (born 1970) is a Polish poet and translator. He studied Romance Languages at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, and taught French at the Foreign Languages Teaching College in Opole. In addition to his teaching, he translated a ...

(Poland). * In 2018 Mishol won the Newman Prize for life Achievement in the field of literature. * In 2018 Mishol received a (third)

honorary doctorate An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hon ...

, from

Bar Ilan University Bar-Ilan University (BIU, he, אוניברסיטת בר-אילן, ''Universitat Bar-Ilan'') is a public research university in the Tel Aviv District city of Ramat Gan, Israel. Established in 1955, Bar Ilan is Israel's second-largest academic i ...

, "for her lyrical poetry, which reveals the story of Israel and its people from her personal perspective as the child of Holocaust survivors". * In 2017 Mishol's personal literary archive was deposited in the

. * In 2016, Mishol received a (second) PHD Honoris Causa from the

Weizmann Institute of Science The Weizmann Institute of Science ( he, מכון ויצמן למדע ''Machon Vaitzman LeMada'') is a public research university in Rehovot, Israel, established in 1934, 14 years before the State of Israel. It differs from other Israeli unive ...

. According t
Weizmann Institute's website
"Her writing forges a rare balance between literal and poetic precision and accessibility to the readers, combining everyday language and slang with inventive linguistics. Infused with irony and humor, hers are very personal poems, which, at the same time, provide extensive human insight.". * In 2014 Mishol received the Italian , previously awarded to

Seamus Heaney Seamus Justin Heaney (; 13 April 1939 – 30 August 2013) was an Irish poet, playwright and translator. He received the 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature.

Adunis Ali Ahmad Said Esber (, North Levantine: ; born 1 January 1930), also known by the pen name Adonis or Adunis ( ar, أدونيس ), is a Syrian people, Syrian poet, essayist and translator. He led a modernist revolution in the second half of the ...

and

Yevgeny Yevtushenko Yevgeny Aleksandrovich Yevtushenko ( rus, links=no, 1=Евге́ний Алекса́ндрович Евтуше́нко; 18 July 1933 – 1 April 2017) was a Soviet and Russian poet. He was also a novelist, essayist, dramatist, screenwriter, ...

. * In 2014 Mishol was awarded an

(Doctor Philosophiae Honoris Causa) by

, "in recognition of her standing as one of Israel's most prominent and best-loved poets ndher immense contribution to enriching Israeli culture". * In 2007 Mishol received the Dolitsky prize for literature. * In 2002 Mishol received the

Prize. * In 2000 Mishol won the Kugel literary award. * In 1995 Mishol won the Israeli Prime Minister Prize.

Published works in Hebrew

* ''Domestic Angel'', Mossad Bialik & Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 2015 al'ach Hacheder* ''Awake'', Hakibbutz Hameuhad, 2013 ra* ''Working Order'', Hakibbutz Hameuhad, 2011 idur Avoda* ''House Call'', Hakibbutz Hameuhad, 2009 ikur Bait* ''Things Happen'', Hakibbutz Hameuhad & Mossad Bialik, 2005 orim Dvarim* ''Moment,'' Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 2005 * ''Selected and New Poems,'' Mossad Bialik & Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 2003 ivchar Ve-Chadashim* ''Wax Flower'', Even Hoshen, 2002 erot Netz Ha-Chalav* ''Dream Notebook,'' Even Hoshen, 2000 achberet Ha-Chalomot* ''Look There,'' Helikon-Tag, 1999 e'eh Sham* ''See'' (edited by

Nathan Zach Nathan Zach (13 December 1930 – 6 November 2020; Hebrew: נתן זך) was an Israeli poet. Widely regarded as one of the preeminent poets in the country's history, he was awarded the Israel Prize in 1995 for poetry. He was also the recipie ...

), Helikon-Tag, 1997 ineh * ''The Interior Plain'', Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1995 a-Shfela Ha-Pnimit* ''Fax Pigeon'', Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1991 onat Faximilia* ''Plantation Notes'', Keter, 19877 oman Mata* ''Gallop'', Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1980 allop * ''A Cat's Scratch'', Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1978 rita Shel Hatul * ''Nanny and Both of Us'', Ekked, 1972 anny Ve-Shneinu * ''I Caught a Moment, Golan'', 1967 odem Tafasti Rega

Translations

Jestem stąd
, 2020,
Čipka na železu
(translated by Klemen Jelinčič Boeta), Beletrina, 2018 * Ricami su ferro (translated by Anna Linda Callow & Kozimo Coen), Giuntina, 2017, * Less Like a Dove (translated by Joanna Chen), Shearsman Books, 2016, * Ropa Tendida (Agui Mishol), Poesía Mayor/leviatán, 2013, * , 2011
Interview
an
translations to Polish
* The ECCO Anthology of International Poetry, edited by Ilya Kaminsky and Susan Harris, 2010, ECCO * Journal du verger (translated by Emmanuel Moses & Esther Orner), Caractères, 2008, * Şeherezada (translated by Riri Sylvia Manor & Ioana Ieronim), Institutul Cultural Român, 2008, * ''Look There: New and Selected Poems of Agi Mishol'' (translated by Lisa Katz),

Graywolf Press Graywolf Press is an Independent publisher, independent, non-profit publishing, publisher located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Graywolf Press publishes fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Graywolf Press collaborates with organizations such as the Co ...

, 2006, * The Swimmers, Poetry Ireland and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, 1998,

References

External links

Profile by Poetry International Rotterdam

Agi Mishol: Čipka na železu - Review and profile in Slovenian

* ttp://www.haaretz.com/weekend/magazine/poet-agi-mishol-is-surprised-she-s-become-hot-stuff-1.431120 Poet Agi Mishol is surprised she became hot stuff, Haaretz
Agi Mishol drifts towards an Archimedes moment
by Vivian Eden, Haaretz
Music From Her Own Mind, A review of Agi Mishol's work

Hononrary Doctorate by Tel Aviv University – full text

Előbb van a zene, aztán a hangszerek” interview with Agi Mishol by Szánto Gábor, "Szombat", 3 july 2008
(Hungarian) {{DEFAULTSORT:Mishol, Agi 1946 births Living people People from Cehu Silvaniei Israeli poets Israeli women poets Ben-Gurion University of the Negev alumni Israeli Jews Israeli people of Hungarian-Jewish descent Israeli people of Romanian-Jewish descent Hungarian emigrants to Israel Romanian emigrants to Israel Jewish women writers