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Poems by Isaac Rosenberg

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INTRODUCTORY MEMOIR<br />

in life, she said, was to be a poet. The next day<br />

the boy was brought to the library. <strong>Isaac</strong> then<br />

seemed to be between ten and twelve years of age.<br />

He had already determined to be a poet and a<br />

painter. He interested and impressed Mr. Dainow,<br />

and in return for his friendly encouragement sent<br />

him a poem called " David's Harp." These are<br />

the earliest verses of <strong>Rosenberg</strong>'s that Mr.<br />

Bottomley or I have seen. They are not printed<br />

in this book, but they are interesting because<br />

they show how, even as a young boy, <strong>Rosenberg</strong><br />

cherished the traditions of his race and aspired to<br />

become a representative poet of his own nation.<br />

Moses and Judas Maccabaeus were intended to be<br />

themes of his maturer poetry. " David's Harp "<br />

is in fluent stanzas, and shows the passing influence<br />

of Byron.<br />

The pamphlet called " Night and Day," printed<br />

in 1912, contains probably all that <strong>Rosenberg</strong> cared<br />

to preserve of his early verse, though no doubt it<br />

represented but a small selection from what he<br />

had written.<br />

After leaving the Slade School, he found himself<br />

faced with a harder struggle than ever. But<br />

he never admitted defeat. He sold a few pictures<br />

and got a few poems into print, but his health<br />

9

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