Interview with
Thilde Fox, IL
Question: When did you begin to write
poetry and what prompted you to write?
About 20 years ago when I retired. There was an
ad in the
Jerusalem
Post about the meetings in Haifa, and I rang Susie
Rose and went for the first time. Two months or so later I
sent in a poem to the Reuben Rose Competition that won an
Hon Mention, and that was enough encouragement for me to
stay.
Question: What
are the most important changes you’ve seen in Voices in all
this time?
I think we are
writing better poems. That's because of the critiques of the
monthly meetings and the various workshops. Also in the last
years we have become more International, for better or for
worse.
Question: What inspires your
poetry?
"Tell me where is fancy bred/Or in the heart or in the head"
that's from the Merchant of Venice . I have to present two
poems for one of my poetry groups, that's a good
inspiration. I think for me probably more in the head, a
sudden idea rather than a sudden feeling.
Question: Which forms do you
prefer?
Why? Free form. I like rhymes too but it isn't "in".
Question: Who is your favorite
poet?
That's like asking me which is my favourite food! I like
food and I like poetry. Through my failing memory I remember
lines from Shakespeare, Tennyson, Browning, Wordsworth, ie
the poets from school, then Sexton and Plath from my study
days in Haifa U. I read on-line poetry, like your Cyclamens,
and others. The latest poet I've read and admired is Shirley
Kaufman.
Question: Where have you been
published?
I don't send out much. I had two poems in Lilith
Magazines a long time ago, and two poems in The
Dybbuck of Delight that were published in 1995. And
some on line, I don't keep track tho I know I should. In our
Voices Israel Anthology, of course. And twice
in ARC. I won several prizes in the RR
Competitions, but not in recent years
Question: In which other
poetry/writing groups are you active?
Jerry Mandel, retired Prof from the Eng Dept of Tel-Aviv
University, runs a group in his home which is in the middle
of the Shuk (Market) in Tel Aviv. We meet every other week.
Both poetry and prose writers. He is a very good critiquer -
is there such a word?- and I've learnt a lot from him and
from the others, it's a good group, about 6-8 people. Then
there is a small group to which I was invited a few years
ago. 4 - 7 members, and this too is a good group.
Last semester I got accepted as an auditing student in the
poetry writing seminar in Bar Ilan. I enjoyed it very much
and learnt a lot, and was sorry that they didn't let me, for
all sorts of reasons, go on for the second semester. We were
nine women and the teacher was Linda Zisquit, herself a
published poet.
Question: Where do you live?
family? photographs of the family, etc.
In Tel Aviv for the last 5 years, before that in Haifa . Two
daughters, one son, six grandchildren.
Question: How long have you lived
in Israel ? In which country were you born?
Born in Vienna 1930, Kindertransport to England 1938, Israel
1953, first to Kibbutz Amiad, married an English man
(despite previous ideas that I wanted to marry a real
Israeli!) in 1954, and two years later moved to Haifa.
Poems by Thilde Fox
Photo
Thilde is on the far right
attending the June 2008 HAIFA VOICES WORKSHOP. The other
people – from right to left, Tommy Berman, David and
Wendy Blumfield.
