Post by Bonobo on Apr 24, 2011 18:05:37 GMT 1
Yes, I liked him a lot and books with his poems or stories were always on the most frequented shelves. Today I read these poems to my kids.
And can you imagine my outrage when the council of certain town in Poland refused to fulfill pupils and parents` wish and name a new school after him? The reason - he was Jewish and wrote pro-communist poems. How low! It was in 1990s. Fortunately, today, I can see many schools named after him.
Jan Brzechwa (Polish pronunciation: [ˈbʐɛxfa]), (15 August 1898 – 2 July 1966), born Jan Wiktor Lesman in Żmerynka, Podolia to a Polish family of Jewish descent was a Polish poet and author, mostly known for his contribution to children's literature.
Upon moving to the city of Warsaw he graduated from the School of Law at Warsaw University. During the Polish-Soviet War, he served in the 36th Regiment of the Academic Legion and his formal writing debut took place in 1920 by way of various humor magazines. In 1926 he published Oblicza zmyślone, his first book of poems and his first set of poems for children Tańcowała igła z nitką was published in 1937. He also worked as a lawyer and attorney for the Polish Society of Authors and Composers (ZAIKS) where he specialized and excelled in copyright law.
Brzechwa was the writer's pseudonym; and translates into 'fletching' (the tail section of an arrow). He changed his name in order to better integrate[citation needed] and avoid being confused with his cousin Bolesław Leśmian, also a poet. Brzechwa was also a translator of Russian literature, translating works by Aleksandr Pushkin, Sergey Yesienin and Vladimir Mayakovskiy. He was married twice and had a daughter, Krystyna, from his first marriage.
Among his works is Chrząszcz (A Beetle), a poem famous for being one of the hardest to pronounce texts in Polish literature, even for adult, native Polish speakers. Its first line “W Szczebrzeszynie chrząszcz brzmi w trzcinie” (In [the town of] Szczebrzeszyn a beetle buzzes in the reeds) is a popular Polish tongue-twister, where almost all of the consonants make distinct buzzing sounds. Brzechwa is well known in Poland for having written a number of lyrical and amusing children's poems.
Brzechwa also wrote a long running series of children's books based on the adventures of Pan Kleks, the headmaster of a magical academy, and his students. Many of the Kleks books and plot points were made into a series of films in the 1980s. While a poem Pchła Szachrajka (Adventures of a Cheating Flea) was developed into an animated film in 1989.
Many of Brzechwa’s texts have been translated into English by Walter Whipple, but as of 2004 they have yet to be published.
He died in Warsaw in 1966 and is buried at the Powązki cemetery.
Jan Brzechwa
AT THE VEGETABLE STALL
At the vegetable stall on market day,
Such conversations are the way:
'You may lean on me, Mr Dill,
You really have gone through the mill'.
'Now is that surprising my dear Chive,
I've been withering here since five!'
Then to that Kohlrabi says:
'Just look at robust Turnip's rays!'
Pea moves to pat Turnip's blushes,
And to ask: 'No more crushes?'
'Thank you, no. Hardly at all,
That's to say, since the last fall'.
'But Miss Parsnip is so poorly,
Pale, thin, and quite deadly really.'
'Oh, what a life!'
Sighted old Knife.
Mr Beetroot keeps his distance
From Miss Onion's dire insistance:
'My dear Beetroot, my red darling,
Will you not be my prince charming?'
Mr Beetroot only holds his breath:
'Away you go, not for all the world's wealth.
I want a dear beetroot wife,
Without days of crying strife'.
'Oh, what a life!'
Sighted old Knife.
Then quite suddenly Bean was heard:
'And you also want to join the herd?'
'Don't be too big for your boots',
To this little Brussels sprouts hoots.
'Did you ever see the like?'
Bristled Carrot at the fight.
'Let's ask Cabbage for some help'.
'Cabbage! That head's soft as felt!'
To that Cabbage asks them sadly:
'Why are you quibbling so madly?
Why the stupid altercation
When soup is our destination.'
'Oh, what a life!'
Sighted old Knife.
Trans. A. Korzeniowska (unpublished)
------------------------------------
The Slouch
by Jan Brzechwa
By the TV sits a slouch,
Spends his whole days on the couch.
“Oh, I certainly take exception!
What a dirty misconception!
For who sits by the television?
Who eats breakfast with precision?
Who today was getting going,
Ably watching grasses growing?
And who just now has spilt his tea—
“Oh! You see, you see!”
By the TV sits a slouch,
Spends his whole days on the couch.
“Excuse me, sir! But if you care,
Just this morning? Brushed my hair!
And then later lost a button,
Eating, chewing, licking mutton,
In the evening smoked some pot,
Or, I guess, that means jack squat?
By the TV sits a slouch,
Spends his whole days on the couch.
Didn’t go to school, because he’s too lazy,
Didn’t do his homework, his vision was hazy,
He didn’t tie his shoes, it was way too much work,
He didn’t say “hello”, my God what a jerk!
Didn’t feed his dog, the bowl was too distant,
Tried to feed his bird, but he just wasn’t persistent,
Meant to drink milk, but that involved pouring,
Was supposed to go to bed—didn’t—already snoring,
And in his dreams, that poor dumb bloke,
He worked so hard that he awoke.
from paczemoj.blogspot.com/search/label/brzechwa
And can you imagine my outrage when the council of certain town in Poland refused to fulfill pupils and parents` wish and name a new school after him? The reason - he was Jewish and wrote pro-communist poems. How low! It was in 1990s. Fortunately, today, I can see many schools named after him.
Jan Brzechwa (Polish pronunciation: [ˈbʐɛxfa]), (15 August 1898 – 2 July 1966), born Jan Wiktor Lesman in Żmerynka, Podolia to a Polish family of Jewish descent was a Polish poet and author, mostly known for his contribution to children's literature.
Upon moving to the city of Warsaw he graduated from the School of Law at Warsaw University. During the Polish-Soviet War, he served in the 36th Regiment of the Academic Legion and his formal writing debut took place in 1920 by way of various humor magazines. In 1926 he published Oblicza zmyślone, his first book of poems and his first set of poems for children Tańcowała igła z nitką was published in 1937. He also worked as a lawyer and attorney for the Polish Society of Authors and Composers (ZAIKS) where he specialized and excelled in copyright law.
Brzechwa was the writer's pseudonym; and translates into 'fletching' (the tail section of an arrow). He changed his name in order to better integrate[citation needed] and avoid being confused with his cousin Bolesław Leśmian, also a poet. Brzechwa was also a translator of Russian literature, translating works by Aleksandr Pushkin, Sergey Yesienin and Vladimir Mayakovskiy. He was married twice and had a daughter, Krystyna, from his first marriage.
Among his works is Chrząszcz (A Beetle), a poem famous for being one of the hardest to pronounce texts in Polish literature, even for adult, native Polish speakers. Its first line “W Szczebrzeszynie chrząszcz brzmi w trzcinie” (In [the town of] Szczebrzeszyn a beetle buzzes in the reeds) is a popular Polish tongue-twister, where almost all of the consonants make distinct buzzing sounds. Brzechwa is well known in Poland for having written a number of lyrical and amusing children's poems.
Brzechwa also wrote a long running series of children's books based on the adventures of Pan Kleks, the headmaster of a magical academy, and his students. Many of the Kleks books and plot points were made into a series of films in the 1980s. While a poem Pchła Szachrajka (Adventures of a Cheating Flea) was developed into an animated film in 1989.
Many of Brzechwa’s texts have been translated into English by Walter Whipple, but as of 2004 they have yet to be published.
He died in Warsaw in 1966 and is buried at the Powązki cemetery.
Jan Brzechwa
AT THE VEGETABLE STALL
At the vegetable stall on market day,
Such conversations are the way:
'You may lean on me, Mr Dill,
You really have gone through the mill'.
'Now is that surprising my dear Chive,
I've been withering here since five!'
Then to that Kohlrabi says:
'Just look at robust Turnip's rays!'
Pea moves to pat Turnip's blushes,
And to ask: 'No more crushes?'
'Thank you, no. Hardly at all,
That's to say, since the last fall'.
'But Miss Parsnip is so poorly,
Pale, thin, and quite deadly really.'
'Oh, what a life!'
Sighted old Knife.
Mr Beetroot keeps his distance
From Miss Onion's dire insistance:
'My dear Beetroot, my red darling,
Will you not be my prince charming?'
Mr Beetroot only holds his breath:
'Away you go, not for all the world's wealth.
I want a dear beetroot wife,
Without days of crying strife'.
'Oh, what a life!'
Sighted old Knife.
Then quite suddenly Bean was heard:
'And you also want to join the herd?'
'Don't be too big for your boots',
To this little Brussels sprouts hoots.
'Did you ever see the like?'
Bristled Carrot at the fight.
'Let's ask Cabbage for some help'.
'Cabbage! That head's soft as felt!'
To that Cabbage asks them sadly:
'Why are you quibbling so madly?
Why the stupid altercation
When soup is our destination.'
'Oh, what a life!'
Sighted old Knife.
Trans. A. Korzeniowska (unpublished)
------------------------------------
The Slouch
by Jan Brzechwa
By the TV sits a slouch,
Spends his whole days on the couch.
“Oh, I certainly take exception!
What a dirty misconception!
For who sits by the television?
Who eats breakfast with precision?
Who today was getting going,
Ably watching grasses growing?
And who just now has spilt his tea—
“Oh! You see, you see!”
By the TV sits a slouch,
Spends his whole days on the couch.
“Excuse me, sir! But if you care,
Just this morning? Brushed my hair!
And then later lost a button,
Eating, chewing, licking mutton,
In the evening smoked some pot,
Or, I guess, that means jack squat?
By the TV sits a slouch,
Spends his whole days on the couch.
Didn’t go to school, because he’s too lazy,
Didn’t do his homework, his vision was hazy,
He didn’t tie his shoes, it was way too much work,
He didn’t say “hello”, my God what a jerk!
Didn’t feed his dog, the bowl was too distant,
Tried to feed his bird, but he just wasn’t persistent,
Meant to drink milk, but that involved pouring,
Was supposed to go to bed—didn’t—already snoring,
And in his dreams, that poor dumb bloke,
He worked so hard that he awoke.
from paczemoj.blogspot.com/search/label/brzechwa
