Iowa Rambler

If anyone is ever training you to replace them in a position and tells you 'its an easy job I don't do much' what this means is that you are about to spend six months to a year catching up on all the stuff they didn't do and sorting out the stuff they did poorly.

If anyone is ever training you to replace them in a position and tells you 'its an easy job I don't do much' what this means is that you are about to spend six months to a year catching up on all the stuff they didn't do and sorting out the stuff they did poorly.

If anyone is ever training you to replace them in a position and tells you 'its an easy job I don't do much' what this means is that you are about to spend six months to a year catching up on all the stuff they didn't do and sorting out the stuff they did poorly.

Ephraim Moses (Moshe) Lilien, 1874-1925

even as a lifelong fan of “golden age” illustration and art nouveau, it took way too long for me to come across the work of E. M. Lilien! we’ve reblogged two pieces here before (one is our mobile blog header!), but there’s a lot to appreciate.

above is some of his more folkloric/magical/mythical Jewish art, including the gorgeous “Shabbat Queen” (the Shechinah?), two versions of the Leviathan, the priestly blessing, a dybbuk, and a (probably metaphorical) demon! 

also, for bonus points, his work is apparently popular with queer men.

@writer-at-the-table

This 1902 piece, “Devil sucks the blood from a sweatshop tailor,” was used to illustrate the German version of Morris Rosenfield’s poem “An der Nähmaſchine,” (“At the Sewing Machine”) found in his Lieder des Ghetto (1902) See: Internet archive, page 31-32. Rosenfield’s poetry was originally in Yiddish.

An der Nähmaſchine. Seht euch den blaſſen Geſellen an, (Look at the pale journeyman there,) Verbraucht iſt ſeine Kraft. (His strength is exhausted) Doch Stund’ um Stund’ und Tag um Tag (Yet hour by hour, day by day) Er ſitzt und näht und ſchafft. (He sits and sews and toils) Viel Monde kommen und ziehen dahin, (Many moons come and pass away) Und Jahr um Jahr vergeht, — (and year after year slips by) Mit krummem Nückgrat, der blaſſe Geſell, (With crooked spine, the pale journeyman) Er ſitzt und näht und näht. (Sits and sews and sews) Es perlt der Schweiß von der heißen Stirn, (Sweat beads on his burning brow) Die Wangen ſind bleich wie der Tod, (His cheeks are as pallid as Death) Ich fühl’s, hier ſchafft nicht Körperkraft, (I feel it, no physical strength works here) Hier lebt und treibt nur die Not. (He is only animated by Need) Manch heißen Tropfen ſaugt gierig die Naht, — (Many a hot drop is ravenously drunk by the seem he stitches) Sein Aug’ wird nicht tränenleer — (His eyes are not yet dry of tears) Und die er näht, von früh bis ſpät, (And the garments he sews, from dusk ‘til dawn) Die Kleider find tränenſchwer… (Are heavy with tears…) Wer kündet grauſe Zukunft mir? (Who will reveal the dread future to me?) Wie lange der bleiche Mann (How much longer shall the pale man) Noch jagen mag das furchtbare Rad? (Drive that terrible wheel?) Wer weiß das Ende, ſagt an? (Who can see the end, who knows?) Ich weiß es nicht. (I do not know) Doch weiß ich wohl: (Yet this I know well:) Wenn den — ob früh, ob ſpät — (When —whether sooner or later—) Die Arbeit erſchlägt, (Work smites him) — ſitzt ein andrer da (Another shall sit there) Und näht und näht und näht . (And sew and sew and sew.)