News at Eleven: Laughter is a major element of [Dannie] Abse's

artistry, along with never holding a grudge. This all becomes clear in his introduction to a poem, "Jealous Adam," by Czernowitz-born Yiddish author Itsik Manger as translated by Jacob Sonntag, who founded London's The Jewish Quarterly. In his note, Abse relates with gentle wit his first meeting with Manger, in the 1940s: "Lubricated with vodka, [Manger] promptly punched me on the jaw because I was young and wrote poetry!"

from The Jewish Daily Forward: Dannie Abse Brings Jewish Twist to Wales

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