英文版《世界诗歌年鉴2025》述评[以色列]赫茨尔·哈卡克【萧逸帆 译；英汉对照】

赫茨尔·哈卡克[以色列]

人类万花筒：一部选集——一座文化沟通的桥梁

英文版《世界诗歌年鉴2025》是一项浩大的文学项目，年鉴收录了来自104个国家和地区的253位诗人的诗歌作品，堪称一部“文学地图集”，一部全球性的诗歌年鉴。展现于我们面前的是一座精神殿堂，让我们得以领略来自不同文化背景的创作者之间相似的思想与情感样态。究其实质，该年鉴是一系列诗歌的瑰宝。

年鉴的主题

1. 诗歌作为一座桥梁——诗人作为身份的守护者‌

在该年鉴之中的许多诗人都在探讨“诗人究竟是谁？”这个问题，他们将诗歌视为他们真正的家园，尤其是他们身处流亡或者漂泊的境遇之时，列举几个例证如下：

杰顿·凯尔门迪（阿尔巴尼亚-比利时)写道：诗人除了他们的诗作之外，别无家园，他们游走于时间的留痕与梦想之间。

爱丽丝·哈里发（以色列）将诗歌视为“神圣使命”的承担者，是传递生命与治愈信息的一种表达途经。

2. 不同创作者之间的共同主题——失落、记忆与流亡‌

流离失所与寻找归属感这一主题，反复出现在许多诗人的创作之中，无论他们是身体上抑或精神上的流亡：

安吉拉·科斯塔（阿尔巴尼亚—意大利）书写家园的回忆，试图通过语言寻找归属感。塔斯尼姆·侯赛因（孟加拉国）抒发了一位移民对故土的思念之情。在诗句中，故乡的记忆如同珍宝般留存在了她的心中。

3. 自然与现代世界中的存在性焦虑‌

许多诗歌反映了全球生态和政治的脆弱性：梁晓明（中国）描述了黑暗降临世界与心灵的场景——一种时间流逝，留下人类独自面对的孤独感。

唐诗（中国）在《抱着露珠睡觉的花朵》一诗中，聆听一朵花绽放时的声音；这一简单的举动使整个空间为之焕然一新。

中国诗人张智系‌该年鉴的主编之一

年鉴由中国诗人张智领衔担任主编一职。在他的诗作中，呈现了这部选集的隐含哲学：一种宇宙合一的宏大愿景。张智书写自我与宇宙的融合。诗人作为一名现代预言家，借助银河、星辰、光芒和海洋等意象来表达一种理念：所有人类共享同一个穹顶——诗歌成为他们的“第一语言”，一种来自天堂的语言——一个诗歌的王国。这便是诗歌的全球化：一种跨越边界，连接心灵的语言。

我们见证了一个精神层面的转变过程：这个“村庄”转变为发光的万花筒——一个崇高的空间，几乎如同一座圣殿，诗人们在此交换灵感之光。张智作为一位精神领袖，引领着诗集中所有的诗人前行。

诗歌选集的宇宙频率：

张智主编的这部选集不仅仅是一部诗歌合集，更是一份倡导人文主义全球化的宣言。尽管现代世界可能显得机械与疏离，但他将全球化视为一个鲜活的神经网络，每首诗都在世界范围内产生共鸣。这与阿格隆·舍勒诗中所提到的“宇宙诞生”概念相呼应，象征着自我作为宇宙缩影的一次重生。将舍勒置于这部年鉴的开头，传达了一个深思熟虑的精神宣言：诗歌是连接各国的桥梁，诗歌将个体带入普遍的宇宙意识之中。诗歌是“精神粘合剂”，让来自不同文化的诗人得以庆祝共同的存在，这一点凸显了主编张智作为整个乐团指挥的重要性：

1. 编辑作为不同文化的“交汇点”

在诗篇中，张智描述了思想和意象不断跨越边界的流动景象。作为编辑，他通过挑选来自不同国家的诗人（譬如阿格隆·舍勒）来践行这一理念，以此在书页中促成他们之间的“对话”。他的诗作证明了一种去中心化的领导力，它容纳每个声音在共享的空间中保持各自的独特性。

2.同情心且具全球责任感的伦理

张智阐述了这样一个观点：一个人的痛苦即是全人类的痛苦。身为编辑，他的领导风格体现在他对诗歌的选择上，这些精选的诗歌不仅不局限于狭隘的“自我”，还涵盖了那些能呼应宏大道德问题的作品。在他的引领下，这部选集通过文字成为“修复世界”（Tikkun Olam）的工具，正如他诗中所反映的那样，这些诗句书写的是超越物质层面的灵魂连接。

3.诗歌作为全球化的“替代语言”

当经济领域借助全球化使文化同质化时，编辑张智则通过其诗作提出了“深度的全球化”的构想。他引领着一条旨在探寻共识精神的编辑路线。他的诗作充当了“钥匙”的作用——引导读者不要去发掘诗人之间的差异，而是探寻他们所共有的宇宙的“频率”。

张智的主要理念是“诗歌的全球化”。这是一个精神层面的进程，其中“村庄”成为诗人们交换光芒之地。正是诗歌光芒的永恒性最终战胜了一切，这种全球性的频率的确呈现于本书的开篇之中。

作者的多样性彰显了年鉴的开放性——他们共同维持了这部选集的平衡。这一见解触及了这部选集的核心所在。孟加拉国诗人萨比亚萨奇·纳兹鲁尔的诗作《世界是一个村庄》，堪称“人类大同”精神的典范之作。有一种精神联接超越了政治边界。我们都是同一个物质与精神家园的居民。

诗人塔格里德·布·梅尔希（黎巴嫩-巴西）将创造的母题与团结人类的精神性联系在一起。在她的诗作中，女性是和谐的神圣造物，是“宁静的旋律”。这位诗人用创造的母题来描述自己的本质：圣经中关于“肋骨”的描述得以在她的诗中升华。在她的诗作中，创造女性的原材料是精神。她并非由简单的物质构成，而是由造物主塑造。她的形象拥有神奇的一种力量。当她悲伤或者痛苦时，花园便会枯萎；但当她微笑之时，花园便有了光明和“绽放的意义”。

诗作以一个壮丽的意象收尾：“她是女人……上帝敞开的仁慈之书”。这是该诗的高潮部分——女性是世间最能体现神之慈悲的形象。

不同的景观——对精神景观的凝视

尽管这些诗人们来自不同的地区，身处截然不同的环境之中，风景于他们而言蕴含着一种存在主义层面的精神意义。例如，中国诗人段光安的诗描述了一棵岩石旁的树；对他来说，岩石与树的共存传达了一种超越物质关切的思想理念。

在中国诗人段光安的诗中，树与岩石的形象不仅仅是一种植物或地质的描述，更是一幅精神的“山水画”（类似于中国古典绘画的传统），这里的景色象征着坚韧，合作及精神的坚定性。这部选集汇聚了众多诗人，他们将“风景”作为一面镜子，以此来揭示人类的存在。以下是几个体现自然与精神相融的典型例子：

阿尔斯兰·巴伊尔（土耳其）——作为地中海和中亚民族多元文化的组成部分，他的作品收录于这本选集，为整部年鉴增添了一层情感力量，加深了风景和朴素人性之间的深刻联结。作为诗人，他将诗歌视为自然与文化之间的桥梁——这就是他所强调的色彩。他的诗歌描绘的是风景和记忆。巴伊尔将他对土地和广阔空间的深厚情感作为出发点进行创作。在他的诗作中，人们可以领略到土耳其风景的气息和色彩，但这些只是更广泛的存在性问题的背景。他将自然地理转化为灵魂的地理。

对于诗人玛丽埃拉·科尔德罗来说，地理也是人类精神的一种隐喻。大海的“残酷潮汐”则是内心自我的寓言：这首诗描写了一个危机时刻，潮汐变得无比“残酷”，威胁着要淹没一切。诗的内核，令人安慰的理念是，痛苦与磨难（“残酷的潮汐”）并非有意去淹没个体，而是“让他们为另一片更深的海洋做好准备”。

在诗人哈桑·亚尔蒂题为《渴望……》一诗中，我们被这首深刻的抒情作品所打动，它探索了在痛苦和孤独中创作的心路历程。写作使用的不是普通的墨水，而是“泪水的字母表”，这是一个强有力的意象，展示出个人痛苦与艺术表达之间不可分割的联系。

同样，在穆罕默德·卡扎菲·马苏德的诗中，自然和秋天也充当了人类精神的隐喻。卡扎菲使用了一个美丽而痛苦的意象，焦虑“开出了失眠之花”。焦虑不仅仅是一种负面情绪，它是一种生长在人体内并让人不得安宁的活物。风暴中的无助：诗人描述了在“风暴”（可能指他情感的动荡）中完全无助的感觉。

本特·伯格（瑞典）描写了一种沉思与寂静的风景，诗人在斯堪的纳维亚的自然景观中写作。对他而言，雪、森林和开阔的空间不仅仅是风景，更表达了一种聆听寂静的人类存在状态，一个探索内心灵魂的空间。有一些欧洲诗歌中的景观特别揭示了人类在面对时间和历史摧残时的脆弱性。在意大利诗人玛丽亚·米拉利亚的诗中，大海是一个无边无际的灵魂意象。同样，在这本选集中，对拉丁美洲诗人来说，大地是一个与人类对话的活生生的实体，而景观则揭示了一种与自然融为一体而非分离的人性。

耶胡迪特·马利克-希兰的诗，将女性描述为希望的载体；她身上有比风景更强大的东西。希望能让人即便“历经所有风暴”，也不愿放弃。诗中最有力的意象之一出现在《桥》中：“裂缝正是向内照射的光芒”——正是裂缝让光芒得以照进内心。

诗人们笔下的风景闪耀着拟人化和精神性的色彩：这本年鉴表明，尽管中国的岩石、瑞典的雪景抑或意大利的海景，景致各不相同，但人类的行为相差无几：人类将自己最深层的情感投射于风景，以求洞悉自身。风景是诗人解释何以为人的“语言”——无论它是像岩石一样稳固，像河流一样流淌，还是像云一样飘过。

这种写作风格也可以在选集中其他赞美自然景观的诗人那里得到印证：西可（中国）描绘了一幅情感的画面。诗人专注于捕捉光影的短暂瞬间，分享了生命存在于细微之处的感悟。

爱丽丝·哈里发巧妙地将光视为一种能够改变存在的元素。在她的诗作中，光不仅是物质层面的，也是精神层面的——它赋予痛苦以希望之色彩。类似于爱德华多改变画面的山，爱丽丝作品中的光是实现治愈和内在改变的关键因素。对于这位墨西哥诗人来说，存在的共同点在于：这些诗歌与爱德华多的诗一样，表达了人并非与环境疏离的观点。风景不仅仅存在于我们“之外”；它是发生在我们内心的精神事件。

世界各地的诗人似乎对此都达成了共识：当我们深入观察自然景色时，我们实际上也在审视自己。诗歌不仅懂得如何表达风景中的变化，也可以表达发生在我们身上的种种变化。

适应变化的能力‌

在这部选集中，渴望理解不断变化的宇宙并适应生活中的种种变化（韧性），是众多诗人诗作中反复出现的主题，他们提供了应对“存在之旅”的不同方式方法：诗人杰顿·凯尔门迪（阿尔巴尼亚/比利时）将人写成永恒的流浪者。对他而言，适应不仅仅为了身体的生存，而是在外部风景发生变化时，让自己的家园（记忆和语言）承载于心的能力。

路易斯·贝尼特斯（阿根廷）通过更广阔的视角观察变化。在他看来，存在之旅是人类漫长链条中的一部分。渴望理解变化的意义就是试图破译存在的“密码”。他与科斯塔的契合点在于不将理解变化视作敌人，而将这种变化认作生命的本质所在。

岁月变迁是导致婚姻生活产生危机的一个因素，这是俄罗斯诗人阿列克谢·叶夫根尼耶维奇·卡拉库京创作的一首诗，在此诗中，她给出了深刻的表达：这首诗呈现了理想的关系与现实的挑战性之间的鲜明对比。这个梦想破碎为“激烈的战场”。这种反差通过这样一个画面得到了强调：试图在大厅里点亮数百盏灯，但实际上，只有“昏暗的灯光在壁橱里闪烁”。

蒋宜茂也在诗中描述了一场危机。宜茂的诗描绘了一个袒露忏悔的瞬间。他在诗的结尾处明确发出请求——“父亲，原谅我慰藉您的谎言”——这是整首诗跳跃的心脏。这是一种优雅的“谎言”，儿子试图拼命保护父亲，不让他知晓自己即将到来的死亡，这使得他的负罪感对读者来说尤为感到心碎。

如果说在宜茂的作品中，我们看到的是在个人离别时，试图保持的人性，那么娜塔莉·比索则将目光扩展到人类身处暴力而复杂世界中的道德层面。以下是关于她的诗《保持人性》的几点思考：比索认为，生而为人是一个奇迹，但保持人性却是一项艰苦的工作（“保持人性是工作！”）。这是世界诗歌年鉴的内核所在——诗歌作为保存人类形象的工具。她强调选择的自由（“每个人都可以自由选择自己的道路”）以及坚守神圣价值的必要性。

诗人迪布兰·菲利所写的《希望的影子》，这首诗令人印象深刻，这首诗探讨了人类记忆的复杂性以及人类在痛苦和剧烈变化的现实中坚守希望的艰难历程。迪布兰使用影子这个隐喻，并未将其视为一种威胁性的存在。即使光明本身在当下被遮蔽，但作为光明存在的指引性依然存在。

阿尔巴尼亚的诗人穆耶·布奇帕帕伊所写的诗《无形的胜利》是一首简洁的作品，描述了短暂的人类存在与道德行为之间的张力。诗歌以自然和孤独的意象（“孤独的田野”、“成熟的玉米”）开篇，暗示了生命与成长的循环。诗人描述了私密而难以捉摸的时刻——沼泽中的日落、蒸汽中的书写、吹过的风——所有这些都象征着瞬间的短暂。我们绝不能忘记时间会抹去物质意义上的劳动这一事实，但另一种残余依然会遗留下来。我们需面对的是应对变化的另外一种表达；我们必须学会寻求无形的胜利。由于现实的必要性而形成的距离会发生变化，这迫使我们去寻求一个答案。塔斯尼姆·侯赛因（孟加拉国），这位诗人书写了一个人离开故土后所历经的变化。

一个共同的理念是人类始终处于不断的运动之中。这里普遍的共同点是精神的灵活性：将生活的变迁视为对存在更深入理解的契机，而非毁灭。这对于当今变化迅速而剧烈的“地球村”来说，是一个非常贴切的观点。诗歌提醒我们，虽然存在之旅是个体的行为，但在其中寻找意义的渴望乃所有人所共有。

阿尔斯兰·巴伊尔，一位传达普通人心声的诗人，确切表达了人类存在的意义。他的诗歌中有一种谦逊和朴素，赋予了他文字中真理的有效性。对他而言，诗歌是一种“安慰”世界的方式，它维护了我们的人性：让我们不去忘记自身的价值。诗歌照亮了自然及人与人之间的美。

心灵的语言——我们的故事‌

世界各地的诗人都试图给予我们心灵共通的语言，即关于我们所有人的故事。

葡萄牙诗人伊西尔达·努内斯沿着这些路径寻找梦想的内在语言——而对于其他诗人而言，他们通过自由创作来表达。

这部引人入胜的选集是一个鲜活的充满生命力的故事，是全人类的一个微观世界。选集本身就像一个“诗人大家庭”；正如一个核心家庭中一代人将灵感传递给下一代人一样，这部选集中的诗人跨越国界，相互启发。在在我们面前展示的诗歌揭示了一张多样的人类面孔，这一切都变成了一个精彩纷呈，丰富多彩的人生故事。

观察存在之基的诗歌动态

费一飞是一位擅长深刻凝视的诗人。费一飞为人类注入了观察自然的力量。他专注于细微之处，如一棵树、一块岩石或一条小溪，并将其转化为存在主义的隐喻。将他此类的诗歌与著名的中国诗人子午的作品相比较，显得尤为美妙，子午也是《世界诗歌年鉴2025》的主编之一，且是当代中国诗歌界的重要人物。他的诗作《古榕奇遇》充满了力量。阅读其中关于静态而有限的文字与“精神”之间张力的描写，十分有趣，“精神”是人类和诗歌体验过程中鲜活且不断变化的本质。

诗歌作为沟通和传达信息的工具‌

这部选集的目标是在读者及公众之间建立联系——诗歌作为人类连接（灵魂联网）的工具。在此，有必要强调一位以色列诗人的作品。耶霍拉姆·加利利传递了一个清晰的声音，强调了人与人之间沟通的重要性。他的诗歌并未将自己禁锢于象牙塔之中，而是向外开放。加利利深知与观众连接的秘诀；他明白语言就是一座桥梁。在他的诗歌中，他寻求对话，探寻“我”与“你”之间的相遇，以及诗歌创造精神共同体的能力。这是“沟通性诗歌”的创作方向，旨在触动、影响和连接更多的人。

该选集确有许多关于诗歌力量的作品：德国诗人娜塔莉·比索的作品就蕴含着这种力量之美。她的诗作《石头的沉默》探讨了永恒、静态的自然与短暂、喧闹的人类存在之间的张力。通过石头这一母题，诗人将我们置于古代记忆与稳定对抗人类话语之间，但人类话语有时也会失去其意义。

诗歌表达中的这种张力得到了进一步的诠释：在第 141页，心灵被希腊诗人迪米特里斯·P·克拉尼奥蒂斯所创作的《大地的绝唱》这首诗所吸引。诗人传达了一个信息：对自然的破坏直接反映在人的灵魂之中。外部世界与内心世界相互融合——当自然崩塌时，人也随之崩溃。当我们失去自然时，我们就失去了人性的一部分——我们的希望、我们的童年以及我们的梦想能力。

选集作为希望与精神统一的前沿‌

来自104个国家的253位诗人齐聚一堂，这是对全球分裂与绝望的抗争之举。这部选集并未放弃文字能够团结地球村的信念。这部选集远不止是一部诗歌合集，它是一份人类应对痛苦、动荡、失落和寻求自由的路径图。尤为重要的是，许多诗歌涉及身份和转变等理念。

以色列诗人巴尔弗·哈卡克的诗歌阐释了永恒与时间之间的斗争——诗歌与《圣经》之地和以色列这片土地存在密不可分的关系。圣经中的神话依然充满活力：其诗歌频繁地与圣经中的人物和事件对话，将它们投射到现代以色列的现实之中，从而构建起一个跨越数千年的历史和精神延续传统。巴尔弗的诗作《小圣所》揭示了神圣应在世俗中寻找。以色列这片土地的存在是一个精神构建的过程。

《世界诗歌年鉴2025》表明，尽管存在各种不同的语言和地域差异，但我们都需要创造的精神——那种不断成长的渴望，正如我们在那首关于树和岩石的诗中所看到的那样。诗歌是一种力量，尽管我们会遭遇“寒冬”和动荡，但新的生机总会如期而至。

在21世纪这片广袤无垠的荒漠之中，有关战争、仇恨和疏离的噪音与日俱增，威胁着要摧毁人类共同的基础，但世界仍蕴含着希望与团结。这里行进着一支名为的“诗人商队”，由来自104个国家和地区的 253位创作者组成，就像圣经中行进于沙漠的商队，他们正在寻求救赎。诗人有能力恢复世界的精神良知。这部选集证明，诗歌不仅仅是纸上的文字，更是应对人类分离与疏远的方式，尤其是应对深度痛苦与身份危机的存在主义工具包。

年鉴点亮了精神之间的联系；世界希望尚存。

(亚登·泽哈维英译自希伯来语；萧逸帆 汉译)

作者小传：

赫茨尔·哈卡克，杰出的作家、诗人和文学评论家。他发表了各式主题的文章，关乎文学、身份和犹太教等内容。于2003年至2005年及2011年至2015年间，他曾担任以色列希伯来作家协会主席。他著有10本诗集，还与他的双胞胎兄弟共同出版了儿童读物、文学评论书籍、神圣礼拜诗注释集和一部语言词典。最近，他的诗集《从未被吟唱的歌》由耶路撒冷沙尔哈夫特出版社出版。

历年斩获的部分奖项：‌

希伯来大学颁发的“哈里・哈松”奖，获奖诗集为《爱之光之书》，1972年。

评论类“哈里・哈松”奖——获奖作品为赫茨尔和巴尔弗·哈卡克合著的《关于别尔季切夫斯基的章节》，1974年。

瓦伦多奖——由希伯来作家协会颁发，1980年。

嘉奖状“奥利姆·乌·马格希米姆”——由教育部办法，2018年。

乌里·奥巴赫诗歌奖——由犹太文化部颁发，5781年尼散月1日（2021年）。

ACG奖——诗歌终身成就奖——2025年。

评审团评语：

数十年来，以色列兄弟诗人赫茨尔·哈卡克与巴尔弗·哈卡克一直是希伯来民族诗歌的奠基者。他们或携手并进，或各自独立创作，皆以诗作与批评文字为我们的文化加冕了一顶高贵的希伯来王冠，有力地强化了那些亟需巩固的维度：富有远见的民族视野、对犹太复国事业的认同、对耶路撒冷的深沉挚爱，以及那些自巴比伦河畔迁徙而来者的声音。

Herzl Hakak [Israel]

Kaleidoscope of Humanity: An Anthology–A Bridge Between Cultures

The anthology World Poetry Yearbook 2025 is an extensive literary project featuring 253 poets from 104 countries and regions. It can truly be called a “literary atlas”, a global poetry yearbook. Before us lies a spiritual palace that allows us to recognize similar patterns of thought and emotion among creators from completely different cultures. It is, in essence, a collection of poetic diamonds.

Main Themes of the Book

1. Poetry as a bridge – the poet as a guardian of identity

Many poets in the anthology explore the question, “Who is the poet?” and see poetry as their true home, particularly in situations of exile or wandering. A few examples:

Jeton Kelmendi (Albania-Belgium) writes that poets have no home other than their poems, living between the traces of time and dreams.

Iris Calif (Israel) is described as taking on a “divine calling,” using poetry as a tool to convey messages of life and healing.

2. Shared themes among diverse creators – loss, memory, and exile

The theme of displacement and the search for belonging recurs among many poets, whether referring to physical or spiritual exile:

Angela Kosta(Albania-Italy) writes about memories of homeland and the search for belonging through language. Tasneem Hossain (Bangladesh) expresses the longing of an immigrant for her native land, where memories are kept in her heart like a treasure chest.

.3Existential anxiety amid nature and the modern world

Many poems reflect on the fragility of the world, both ecologically and politically: Liang Xiaoming (China) describes darkness descending upon the world and the heart- a sense of time passing and leaving humans alone.

Tang Shi(China), in “The Flowers Sleeping While Holding Dewdrops,” listens to the voice of a flower opening; this simple act transforms the entire space.

The editor-in-chief of the yearbook is the Chinese poet Zhang Zhi

The anthology is led by the Chinese poet Zhang Zhi, who serves as chief editor. In his poem, he presents the underlying philosophy of the anthology: a cosmic vision of unity. Zhang writes about the merging of the self with the universe. The poet as a modern prophet uses images of galaxies, stars, light, and oceans to show that all humans share the same dome- poetry becomes their “first language”, a celestial language- a kingdom of poetry. This is the globalization of poetry: a language that connects hearts across boundaries.

We witness a spiritual process in which the “village” transforms into a kaleidoscope of light- a sublime space, almost a temple, where poets exchange rays of inspiration. Zhang emerges as a spiritual leader, guiding all the poets in the anthology.

The Cosmic Frequency of the Anthology:

Zhang Zhi’s anthology is not just a collection of poems but a manifesto of humanist globalization. While the modern world can seem mechanical and alienating, his approach envisions globalization as a living neural network, with each poem resonating across the world. This echoes the concept of the “cosmic birthday” in Agron Shele’s poem, symbolizing the rebirth of the self as a microcosm of the universe. Placing Shele at the beginning of the anthology is a deliberate spiritual statement: poetry is a bridge connecting nations, bringing the individual into universal consciousness. Poetry is the “spiritual glue” allowing poets from different cultures to celebrate shared existence. This is truly the importance of editor Zhang as the conductor of the entire orchestra:

1. The editor as a “crossroad” of cultures

In the poem, Zhang describes a constant movement of ideas and images that cross borders. As an editor, he applies this by selecting poets from different countries (such as Agron Shele), creating a “conversation” between them within the pages of the book. His poem testifies to a leadership that is not centralized, but rather one that allows each voice to maintain its uniqueness within a shared space.

2. An ethic of compassion and global responsibility

Zhang expresses the concept that the suffering of one individual is the suffering of all humanity. His leadership as an editor is reflected in his choice of poems that do not merely focus on the narrow “self”, but rather those that echo grand moral questions. Under his baton, the anthology becomes a tool for Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) through the written word, as reflected in the lines of his poem which deals with a soul-connection that transcends the material.

3. Poetry as an “alternative language” to globalization

While the economic world utilizes globalization to homogenize cultures, Zhang the editor uses his poem to propose a “globalization of depth”. He leads an editorial line that seeks a common spirit. His poem serves as the “key”- instructing the reader not to search for the differences between the poets, but rather for the common cosmic “frequency” they share.

The main motto of Zhang Zhi is “Globalization of Poetry”. This is a spiritual process in which “the village” becomes a place where poets exchange rays of light. It is the eternity of poetry’s glow that triumphs over all. This global frequency is indeed present at the very opening of the book.

The diversity of the writers testifies to an openness- together, they create the anthology’s balance. This insight touches the very heart of the collection. The poem by Sabyasachi Nazrul from Bangladesh, titled “World One Village One,” serves as a sort of manifesto for that same “unified humanity”. There is a spiritual connection that overcomes political borders; we are all residents of the same physical and spiritual home.

The Poet Taghrid Bou Merhi (Lebanon-Brazil) connects the motif of creation with the spirituality that unites humanity. According to her poem, a woman is a harmonious divine creation, a “melody of serenity”. The poet uses the motif of creation to describe her essence: the biblical description of the “rib” is elevated—in her poem, the woman is created from spiritual raw materials. She was not formed from simple physical matter but was shaped by the Creator. Her figure possesses an almost magical power- when she is sorrowful or embittered, gardens wither; but when she smiles, there is light and “blossoming meanings”.

The poem concludes with a magnificent image: “She is the woman... God’s open book of mercy”. This is the peak of the description- the woman is the most tangible expression of divine mercy in the world.

Different Landscapes – A Gaze into the Spiritual Landscape

Although the poets come from different regions and vastly different landscapes, the landscape holds an existential spiritual meaning for them. For example, the poem by Duan Guang’an from China describes a tree beside a rock; for him, their coexistence expresses an idea that transcends material concerns.

In the poem by Duan Guang’an from China, the image of the tree and the rock is not merely a botanical or geological description, but a spiritual “landscape painting” (akin to the classical Chinese painting tradition), where the scenery serves as a reflection of resilience, partnership, or spiritual stability. The anthology is teeming with poets who use “landscape” as a mirror to reveal human existence. Here are several prominent examples of this connection between nature and the spiritual existence:

Arslan Bayir (Turkey)- his presence in the anthology adds a layer of emotional power and a deep connection to the landscape and simple humanity, as part of the Mediterranean and Central Asian mosaic. As a poet, he represents poetry as a bridge between nature and culture- these are the hues he emphasizes. His is a poetry of landscapes and memory. Bayir writes from a deep affinity for the earth and the open space. In his poetry, one can sense the scents and colors of the Turkish landscape, yet they serve as a backdrop for broader existential questions. He transforms physical geography into a geography of the soul.

For the poet Mariela Cordero as well, geography is a metaphor for the human spirit. The “cruel tide” of the sea is an allegory for the inner self: the poem describes a moment of crisis where the tide becomes so “cruel” that it threatens drowning. The central and comforting idea in the poem is that suffering and hardship (the “cruel tide”) are not intended to drown the individual, but rather “to prepare them for the depths of another ocean”.

In the poem titled “LONGING...” by the poet Hassane Yarti, we are moved by a profound lyrical work that explores the creative process born out of pain and solitude. The writing is not done with ordinary ink, but with an “alphabet of tears”. This is a powerful image of the inseparable bond between personal suffering and artistic expression.

Also in the poem by Muhammad Gaddafi Masoud, nature and autumn also serve as metaphors for the human spirit. Gaddafi uses a beautiful yet painful image where anxiety “grows flowers of insomnia”. Anxiety is not merely a negative emotion; it is a living thing that grows within a person and robs them of their rest. Helplessness in the storm: the poet describes a feeling of complete helplessness within the “storm”, probably the turmoil of his emotions.

Bengt Berg (Sweden)- expresses a landscape of contemplation and silence- writing from the Scandinavian landscape. For him, the snow, the forest, and the open spaces are not merely scenery but express a human state of listening to silence, a space for internal soul-searching. There are European poems whose landscapes reveal specifically human fragility in the face of the ravages of time and history. In the poem of Maria Miraglia from Italy- the sea is an image of a soul that knows no boundaries. Similarly, among Latin American poets in the collection, the earth is a living entity that converses with man, and the landscape reveals a humanity that is not separated from nature but rather melts into it.

The poem by Yehudit Malik-Shiran describes the woman as a province of hope; there is something in her stronger than the landscape. Hope allows a person not to leave even “through all the storms”. One of the most powerful images in the poem appears in the “Bridge”: “The cracks are what shine the light inward”- the cracks they shine the light in.

The landscapes in the poets’ poems take on shades of personification and spirituality: the anthology shows that despite the differences in scenery- the Chinese rock, the Swedish snow, or the Italian sea- the human action is identical: the man projects his deepest emotions onto the landscape in order to understand himself. The landscape is the “language” through which the poet explains what it means to be human- whether it is to be stable as a rock, flowing like a river, or passing like a cloud.

Echoes of this approach can be found in other poets in the anthology who celebrate the landscape: Xi Ke(China) paints an emotional picture. The poet focuses on fleeting moments of light and shadow, sharing the perception that life is found in the small details.

Iris Calif skillfully writes about light as an element that transforms existence. In her poetry, light is not only physical but spiritual—it is what tints pain with hope. Similar to Eduardo’s mountain that changes the picture, the light in Iris’s work is the factor that enables healing and internal change. For the Mexican poet, the existential common denominator: these poems, along with Eduardo’s poem, express the idea that the man is not separated from his environment. The landscape is not just “outside of us”; it is a spiritual event occurring within us.

It seems that poets from all over the world agree on one thing: when we observe the landscape deeply, we are actually observing ourselves. Poetry knows how to express the changes occurring not only in the landscapes- but also in us.

The ability to survive the changes

In this anthology, the aspiration to understand the shifting universe and adapt to life’s transformations (resilience) is a recurring motif among other poets, who offer different ways of coping with the “existential journey”: the poet Jeton Kelmendi (Albania/Belgium)- writes about the man as a constant wanderer. For him, adaptation is not just physical survival but the ability to carry one’s home (memory and language) within the heart while the external landscape changes.

Luis Benítez (Argentina)- observes change through a wider lens. For him, the existential journey is part of a long human chain. The aspiration to understand the meaning of change is an attempt to decipher the “code” of existence. His partnership with Costa lies in the understanding that change is not the enemy, but the essence of life itself.

Changes over the years are the factors that cause crisis in marital life. This is a poem by Alexey Evgenievich Kalakutin- the Russian poet- who gives this profound expression: The poem presents a sharp contrast between the ideal dream of a relationship and the challenging reality. This dream shatters into what is described as a “stormy battlefield”. The contrast is emphasized by the image of an attempt to light hundreds of lamps in a hall, while in practice, only a “dim light flickers in the closet”.

Jiang Yimao also chooses to describe a crisis. Yimao’s poem creates a moment of exposed confession. His explicit request at the end- “Father, forgive my lying words to comfort you”- is the beating heart of the work. This is a “falsehood” of grace, a son’s desperate attempt to protect his father from the knowledge of his approaching death, making his sense of guilt particularly heart-wrenching for the reader.

If in Yimao’s work we saw the attempt to preserve humanity within personal moments of parting, Natalie Bisso expands the gaze toward human morality in a violent and complex world. Here are a few points for reflection on her poem “Stay Human”: Bisso argues that being born human is a miracle, but remaining human is hard work (“To remain a human being is work!”). This is a central message in an international poetry yearbook- poetry as a tool for preserving the human image. She emphasizes freedom of choice (“everyone is free to choose their own path”) and the need to remain faithful to sacred values.

The poet Dibran Fylli impresses in his poem, “Shadow of Hope.” The poem deals with the complexity of human memory and the struggle to maintain hope within a reality of pain and intense changes. Dibran uses the metaphor of the shadow not as something threatening, but as a guiding presence that testifies to the existence of light- even if the light itself is currently hidden.

The poem by Mujë Buçpapaj from Albania, “The Invisible Victory”, is a concise work dealing with the tension between fleeting human existence and the moral act. The poem opens with images of nature and solitude (“field of solitude”, “ripe corn”), hinting at the cycles of life and growth. The poet describes intimate and elusive moments- a sun setting in a swamp, writing in steam, and a blowing wind- all symbolizing the transience of the moment. We must not forget that time erases physical labor but leaves another residue. Before us is another expression of coping with changes; we must learn to seek the invisible victory. And there are changes that occur and demand an answer to the distances that have formed due to the necessity of reality. Tasneem Hossain (Bangladesh)- this poet writes about the transformations experienced by a person who moves away from their homeland.

The Common Idea: the man is required to be in constant motion. The universal common denominator here is the flexibility of the spirit: the ability to see life’s transformations not as destruction, but as an opportunity for a deeper understanding of existence. This is a very relevant message for today’s “global village”, where changes are rapid and intense. Poetry reminds us that while the existential journey is individual, the aspiration to find meaning within it is common to all.

Arslan Bayir, as one who brings the voice of the simple man, indeed comes to express meaning for existence. There is a measure of modesty and simplicity in his poetry that grants his words the validity of truth. For him, poetry is a way to “comfort” the world- to preserve our humanity: not to forget values, and to illuminate the beauty existing in nature and in the connection between human beings.

The Language of the Heart – The Story of Us

All Poets from around the world seek to give us the universal language of the heart, the story of us all.

Isilda Nunes from Portugal searches along these paths for the inner language of dreams- while for other poets, this is expressed through creative freedom.

This fascinating anthology is a living, breathing story- a microcosm of all humanity. The anthology itself functions as a sort of “family of poets”; just as one generation passes inspiration to the next within a nuclear family, the poets in this anthology inspire one another across national borders. Before us is poetry that reveals a multifaceted human countenance- everything becomes a fascinating and rich life story.

Dynamics of Poetry Observing the Foundations of Existence

Fei Yifeiis a poet who is a master of the profound gaze- Fei Yifei brings to the human caravan the power of observing nature. He focuses on small details (such as a tree, a rock, or a stream of water) and transforms them into existential metaphors. It is beautiful to compare this poetry to the work of the prominent Chinese poet Zi Wu, who also serves as theone of the editors-in-chief of World Poetry Yearbook 2025 and is a key figure in the modern Chinese poetry community. There is power in his poem, “A Strange Encounter Beneath the Ancient Banyan”- it is fascinating to read about the tension between the written word, which is static and limited, and the “spirit”- which is the living, changing essence of the human and poetic experience.

Poetry as a Tool for Communication and Expressing Messages

The goal of the anthology is a connection with the readers, with the public- poetry as a tool for human connection (networking of the soul). Here, it is appropriate to emphasize the work of an Israeli poet. Yehoram Galili brings a clear voice that highlights the communication between human beings. His poetry does not seclude itself in an ivory tower but rather turns outward. Galili knows the secrets of connecting with the audience; he understands that the word is a bridge. In his poetry, he seeks dialogue, the encounter between the “I” and the “You”, and the ability of the poem to create a spiritual community. This is a direction of “communicative poetry”- one that seeks to touch, influence, and connect.

Indeed, there is a variety of poems about the power of poetry: there is beauty in the work of the German poet Natalie Bisso. Her poem, “The Silence of the Stones”, deals with the tension between eternal, static nature and fleeting, noisy human existence. Through the motif of stones, the poet places us between ancient memory and stability versus human words, which sometimes lose their meaning.

The tension in poetic expression receives further interpretations: on page 141, the heart is captured by the poem “Earth’s Swan Song” by the poet Dimitris P. Kraniotisfrom Greece. The poet conveys a message: the damage to nature is directly reflected in the soul. The external world and the internal world merge- as nature crumbles, so does the man. When we lose nature, we lose a part of our humanity- our hope, our childhood, and our ability to dream.

The Anthology as a Front of Hope and Spiritual Unity

The meeting of 253 poets from 104 countries and regions is an act of struggle against global divisiveness and despair. The anthology does not abandon the belief that the written word can unite the global village. This anthology is much more than a collection of poems- it is a roadmap for human coping with pain, upheaval, loss, and the search for freedom. Above all, many poems deal with identity and transformation.

The poetry of Balfour Hakak from Israel is indeed steeped in the struggle between eternity and time- poetry inextricably linked to existence in the land of the Bible and the land of Israel. The biblical myth continues to throb: the poetry frequently dialogues with figures and events from the Bible, projecting them onto modern Israeli reality and creating a historical and spiritual continuum of thousands of years. Balfour’s poem, “A Small Sanctuary” (Mikdash Me’at), reveals a search for the sacred within the profane. Existence in the land of Israel is a process of spiritual construction.

The World Poetry Yearbook 2025 is proof that beneath all the different languages and landscapes, we all need the spirit of creation- that same aspiration to grow, as we saw in the poem about the tree and the rock. Poetry is the force that ensures that despite the “winters” and upheavals, new growth will always come.

In the vast desert of the 21st century, where the noises of war, hatred, and alienation grow- threatening to destroy the common human denominator- there is hope: there is unity. Here marches the “Caravan of Poets”- 253 creators from 104 countriesand areas- like the caravan in the biblical desert, they seek redemption. It is within the power of poets to restore the world’s spiritual conscience. The anthology proves that poetry is not just words on a page, but an existential toolkit for dealing with separation and alienation- and especially with the depths of pain and crises of identity.

The anthology illuminates the spiritual connection; there is hope for the world.

About the author of the article

Herzl Hakak, an outstanding writer, poet, and literary critic. He has published articles on various subjects: literature, identity, and Judaism. He served as Chairman of the Hebrew Writers’ Association in Israel from 2003–2005 and again from 2011–2015. He has written 10 poetry books and has also published, together with his twin brother, children’s books, books of literary criticism, commentaries on sacred liturgical poems, and a lexicon of language. Most recently, his poetry book “The Song That Was Never Sung” was published by Shalhevet Jerusalem Publishing House.

Selected Awards Over the Years:

The “Harei Harshon” Prize, awarded by the Hebrew University, for the poetry book “The Book of the Lights of Love”, 1972.

The “Harei Harshon” Prize for Criticism- for the book “Chapters on Berdyczewski” by Herzl and Balfour Hakak, 1974.

The Wallenrod Prize- awarded by the Hebrew Writers’ Association, 1980.

Certificate of Appreciation “Olim u’Magshimim” – Ministry of Education, 2018.

The Uri Orbach Prize for Poetry, awarded by the Department for Jewish Culture – 1 Nisan 5781 (2021).

ACG Prize – Citation of Merit for Lifetime Achievement in Poetry – 2025.

From the judges’ statement:

“The poet brothers Herzl and Balfour Hakak have been among the builders of Hebrew national poetry for decades. Together, and each on his own, they crown our culture with a noble Hebrew diadem, strengthening through their poetry and their critical writing dimensions that indeed often require reinforcement: a visionary-national outlook, identification with the Zionist enterprise, love of Jerusalem, and the voice of those who came here from the rivers of Babylon”.

(Translated from Hebrew to English by Yarden Zehavi)