Wojaczek - a forbidden poet
- 'A forbidden poet'? Do you actually mean the Polish expression 'poeta przeklety' (condemned poet)? - He seems to be a much ignored poet, especially by fellow poets. If my memory serves me right, Milosz doesn't mention him at all in his (bad) history of Polish literature. Baranczak has written unfavourably about Wojaczek in his book on the Polish poetry in the 60s/70s. Both Milosz and Baranczak are incomparably worse poets than Wojaczek. Do they 'condemn' him out of envy?
Yes, I have read 'Rape' (Gwalt). I've met women who thought that in his poems written from the viewpoint of a woman, Wojaczek shows an immense intimate knowledge of female psyche.
'Functions of the ugliness in various parts of art'
- Are you going to mention the current in Polish poetry called 'turpizm' (e.g. Grochowiak)?
One of the most beautiful poems about ugliness is, ahem, Wyspianski's 'Wiosna' (The Spring). It begins with: 'Swiat - gnoj' (The world - muck). Do you happen to know the piece?
:)
I know he used to live in Mikolow for some time. There is a museum in his old flat in this small town.
I recommend You movie about him - Wojaczek. Quiet good, especially for someone who felt in love with his poems
- I might visit the museum one day. I haven't seen the film yet. I know a bit about Wojaczek from people who knew him personally.
Oh, Wyspianska. Also, an excellent poem about ugliness is Baudelaire's The Carcass (Une Charogne; in Polish: Padlina). There's a fine Polish translation in the volume of Baudelaire's poetry published, during communism, in a series called in Polish the 'celofanowa seria.' I forgot the name of the translator. Miedzyrzecki perhaps, or Jastrun? Also, some of Rimbaud's poems may be pertinent, notably 'L’Orgie parisienne
ou Paris se repeuple' (translated, brillantly, by Tuwim, as 'Paryz sie budzi;' Tuwim translated a few of Rimbaud's pieces; you might want to check out the one titled 'Zasiedziali'). Also, some of Tuwim's poems may be useful, e.g. the series about barbers ('Fryzjerzy').