Jack Rothman Reflects on a Century Through Poetry of ‘Three Worlds’
Jack Rothman, professor emeritus of social welfare at UCLA Luskin, recently published his second book of poetry, “Three Worlds,” reflections on nearly a century of lived experience. At 97, Rothman refers to his latest collection as a “delayed harvest,” a fresh batch of poetry that “tells of three worlds where I have chiefly dwelled,” he writes in his introduction. “These include my ‘Interior World’ of reflection and psychological entanglement, my ‘Family World’ affording vital sustenance, and my ‘Public World’ of social engagement — emphasizing ideals of social justice,” he explains. Like his first book of poetry, Rothman said he wanted to approach poetry differently, “so that me and the reader connect in a direct way, that we’re both on the same page, and that the reader doesn’t have to stop and run to the dictionary or computer — to write in a way that goes from my heart to the reader’s heart without a translator,” he said. Rothman, the son of immigrants, recalls his early years and his family, as well as confronting and experiencing the process of aging. A prolific researcher and writer, Rothman published some 25 books during his long academic career, primarily focused on community organizing and racial justice. Other previous literary pursuits have included “Searching for Butsnevits: A Shtetl Tale,” about his search for his ancestral home, a Jewish village, or shtetl, in the Ukraine. “I wrote these poems in later life,” he notes. “Being and coping, I conclude, are a bafflement, while also a joy.” Rothman’s latest book is now available on Amazon.
