SOMECK, RONNY

SOMECK, RONNY (1951– ), Hebrew poet. Someck was born in Baghdad, Iraq, and came to Israel as a child. He studied Hebrew literature and philosophy at Tel Aviv University and sketching at the Avni Art Institute. He worked as a counselor with street gangs, taught literature, and led writing workshops. Someck began publishing poetry in 1968 and published his first collection, Goleh ("Exile"), in 1976. Other collections include Solo (1978), Asphalt (1984), Sheva Shurot al Pele ha-Yarkon ("Seven Lines on the Wonder of the Yarkon River"), Panter (1989), Bloody Mary (1994), Gan Eden le-Orez ("Rice Paradise," 1996). The bustling life and alienating effect of the modern city, primarily Tel Aviv, figures prominently in his poetry, which addresses collective Israeli concerns, the ethnic issue as well as private experience. In 1997 Someck recorded with the musician Elliot Sharp the CD Revenge of the Stuttering Child. In 1998, together with artist Benny Efrat, Someck presented the exhibition "Nature's Factory" at the Israel Museum. With Shirley Someck he wrote a book for children, Kaftor ha-Ẓeḥok ("The Laughter Button," 1998). Someck's ninth poetry collection, Maḥteret ha-Ḥalav ("The Milk Underground"), appeared in 2005. He received the ACUM special Jubilee Prize, and in 2004 was awarded the Yehuda Amichai Prize. A collection of Selected Poems appeared in English translation (1999) as well as The Fire Stays in Red (2002). -BIBLIOGRAPHY: G. Moked, "Al Sheloshah Meshorerim Ẓe'irim (Someck, Bachar, Perez Banai)," in: Yedioth Aharonoth (November 16, 1979); O. Bartana, Teritoriyyiah Ḥadashah ve-Efsharuyotehah, in: Yedioth Aharonoth (December 26, 1980); A. Barkai, in: Al ha-Mishmar (February 27, 1981); A. Balaban, Ereẓ Tel Aviv, in: Yedioth Aharonoth (January 30, 1981); T. Avgar, Bein Gimgum le-Mahapekhanut Kevuyah, in: Moznayim, 52:1 (1981), 61–62; Y. Mazor, Al Tomru Lanu Shalom, in: Iton 77, 183 (1995), 18–23; Y. Ben David, "Shirah – Be-Millim shel Sedot Te'ufah," in: Ahavah mi-Mabat Sheni (1997), 206–9; Y. Mazor, "The Silky Vigor of the Boxing Glove: R. Someck in the Arena of Contemporary Hebrew Poetry," in: World Literature Today, 72:3 (1998), 501–6; M. Forcano, R. Someck, música d'Um Kultzum à Tel Aviv, in: Tamid, 2 (1998–99), 205–8; S. Dayyan and R. Yagil, in: Ma'ariv (April 29, 2005). (Anat Feinberg (2nd ed.)