SOURCE: "Yehuda Amichai: The Poet as Prose Writer," in Ariel: A Review of Arts and Letters in Israel, No. 61, 1985, pp. 20-4.

In the following essay, which was originally presented as an address in February 1985 in Mishkenot Sha'ananim, Jerusalem, to celebrate the English translation of Amichai's volume of short stories, The World Is a Room, Halkin explains the differences between a poet and a prose writer and speculates on Amichai's decision to turn to prose to express himself.

Yehuda Amichai, one of the finest Hebrew poets of our time, requires no introduction from me. On the contrary, since those gathered here, I am sure, know Yehuda and his work far better than me or mine, it would have been more fitting for him to have introduced me. Nevertheless, there is one reason it is appropriate for me to present Yehuda tonight: I have a special relationship to the book...