Elijah Blumov
Current City, State, Country
Birth City, State, Country
Biography
Elijah Perseus Blumov is a poet, playwright, critic, and host of the poetry analysis podcast, Versecraft. His poetry and drama is characterized by metrical rigor, a high register, and an interest in exploring existential, spiritual themes and biblical and mythological subject matter. His criticism is in the evaluative tradition of classical humanism, and is deeply influenced by the Stanford School of Yvor Winters. His podcast, Versecraft, offers in-depth semantic and prosodic analyses of individual poems, as well as essays on general issues in poetry.
What is the relationship between Judaism and/or Jewish culture and your poetry?
Judaism has been a formative influence on my life and thought. My poetry not only often concerns itself with biblical subject matter, but approaches its subjects with what I feel is an essentially Jewish vision. This vision includes the following characteristics: 1. An unflinching acknowledgment of both the unfathomable suffering in the world and God’s trans-moral indifference to it (see: The Book of Job and Ecclesiastes). 2. Despite this, a joyous love of God and acceptance of existence as a blessing (see: Genesis, Spinoza’s Ethics) 3. A dedication to righteousness, recognizing that humanity, having been given a moral compass, is the “chosen people” who must endow the world with moral order (see: the concept of “Tikkun Olam”). I think the emphasis Judaism places on study, analysis, questioning, affirmation, and glorification of God and the world makes it one of the healthiest ways to approach life, and I hope to exemplify some of that wisdom in my work.
Author Site
Links to Sample Works
Video Reading
Education
Brooklyn College, CUNY: B.A. in Philosophy, B.Mus. in Vocal Performance
Vermont College of Fine Arts: M.F.A. in Creative Writing, Poetry