Hyam Plutzik

1911-1962

'Nothing can be done
But something can be said
At least'

Hyam Plutzik is buried in the large Jewish Cemetery at Old Montefiore in the Borough of Queens, New York City, USA.

Gravestone of Hyam Plutzik

(From the documentary film 'Hyam Plutzik:American poet, 2007')

 

Hyam Plutzik


In addition to his name (in English and Hebrew) and birth and death dates, there is inscribed on his monument a closed book with the word 'Poet' on the cover. Beneath this appears the concluding line from his poem Requiem for Edward Carrigh: 'Nothing can be done but something can be said at least.'

Tbe poem appeared in his 1959 collection Apples from Shinar, reprinted by Wesleyan University Press in 2011 to mark the centennial of Plutzik's birth. These words were selected as an epitaph by Hyam's brother David. 'Edward Carrigh' was the pseudonym Hyam Plutzik chose to represent John Wagenblass, a young colleague of his on the English faculty of the University of Rochester, who, like Plutzik, had died at an early age.
 

Already there is no one to call to.
The body of Edward is not Edward,
Nor the ashes of Gregory Gregory.
Alexander is no longer Alexander in the earth.

Nothing can be done but something can be said at least.

(From Requiem for Edward Carrigh)

Copyright by the Estate of Hyam Plutzik. All rights reserved.


Links:

Hyam Plutzik

Shipdham: Literary Norfolk

 

 


 

 

 
 
 
 

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