new poems by Tadeusz Rozewicz Page A

Słowacki (1809–1849): one of the leading poets and dramatists of the Romantic period.
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    I know nothing about you
    White Marriage: 1975 play by Różewicz.
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    Oriole
    Monika Å»eromska (1913–2001): memoirist, daughter of Stefan Å»eromski (1864–1925), the preeminent Polish writer of the early 20th century.
    â€œa poem about a rose”: a reference to “Dawn Day and Night with a Red Rose” from the professor’s knife (author’s note).
    the Skamander poets: group of poets popular in the interwar period 1918–1939.
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    (Master Jakob Böhme)
    Zgorzelec and Görlitz: adjacent towns on either side of the present Polish-German border.

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    conversation with Herr Scardanelli
    Scardanelli was a pseudonym of the German poet Friedrich Hölderlin (1770–1843).
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    the spilling of blood
    â€œcaps with four corners”: the four-cornered cap or rogatywka is the traditional headwear of Polish soldiers.

EXIT
    my old Guardian Angel
    â€œO heavenly angel guardian mine . . .”: a bedtime prayer said by children.
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    golden thoughts against a black background
    â€œgolden thoughts” is a Polish expression meaning something like “quotable quotes.”
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    Ã  la Wyspiański
    Stanisław Wyspiański (1869–1907): a Kraków painter and poet, one of the most significant figures in Polish culture.
    Wawel: the former royal castle in Kraków.
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    (ever since the “little”)
    Albino Luciani: Pope John Paul I, who reigned for thirty-three days in 1978.
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    heart in mouth
    Leopold Staff (1878–1957): outstanding poet of whom Tadeusz Róźewicz is particularly fond.
    Tadeusz Kotarbiński (1886–1981): a major Polish philosopher. “three times yes”: reference to a referendum in 1946 in which
    the Polish communists sought to legitimize their rule. Roman Ingarden (1893–1970): influential Polish philosopher.

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    labyrinths
    â€œleśmianek”: or “little leśmian,” a reference to Bolesław Leś-mian (1878–1937), widely regarded as the most important Polish poet of his time. His verse is characterized by complex, innovative uses of language.
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    tempus fugit
    â€œA cold coming . . .” from “Journey of the Magi” by T. S. Eliot.
    â€œ Fallen / angels / are like / [. . .] / they fall drop by drop ”: this is the entire text of the poem “Homework on the Topic of Angels” from the poet’s 1969 collection Regio.
    â€œyouth give me wings . . .”: lines from “Ode to Youth” by Adam Mickiewicz (1798–1855).
    Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz (1894–1980): poet and writer, a leading literary figure in the mid-century.
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    knowledge
    This poem is a parody of “Paweł and Gaweł,” a children’s poem by comic writer Aleksander Fredro (1793–1876). “Mr. Cogito” frequently appears in the poetry of Zbigniew Herbert (1924–1998).
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    I rub my eyes
    â€œfor bread good sir for bread”: from a popular song about emigration.
    Telimena, Master Tadeusz, Robak: characters from Adam Mickiewicz’s Master Tadeusz (1834).
    Emilia Plater (1806–1831): Polish national heroine who fought and died in the 1831 November Uprising.
    â€œpainted uhlans”: referring to Polish soldiers (from a popular song)
    â€œour good emperor”: the emperor of Austria-Hungary.

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    you can’t scare me
    King Władysław the Short (1260–1333): King of Poland from 1320.

RECENT POEMS
    depressions VII
    Jerzy Dudek: a well-known Polish soccer player.
    Adam Małysz: a champion ski-jumper.
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    The Gates of Death
    Henryk Bereska (1926–2005): an eminent translator of Polish literature into German.

Copyright © Tadeusz Różewicz 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006
    eISBN : 978-1-935-74450-4
    English translation copyright © Bill Johnston 2007
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    All rights reserved. No part of this book