Cyprian Kamil Norwid is a renown Polish poet who was also a dramatist, painter, and sculptor. He was born two centuries ago, on 24 September 1921. He had the legendary Polish King Jan III Sobieski as one of his maternal ancestors, which he never failed to emphasise. 

Norwid is regarded as one of the second generation of romantics. He wrote many well-known poems including Fortepian Szopena („Chopin’s Piano”), Moja piosnka („My Song”) and Bema pamięci żałobny-rapsod (A Funeral Rhapsody in Memory of General Bem). 

He was broke and sick most of his life and travelled a lot, mostly to Berlin, Rome, Brussels, Paris, and London. He got to know several great 19th-century Poles during his numerous journeys, such as Frédéric Chopin, Adam Mickiewicz, Juliusz Słowacki, and Zygmunt Krasiński. 

The least that can be said is that his creations encountered an overall misunderstanding from the public. His uncommon approach to writing remained mostly ignored during his lifetime. 

In addition to his health and financial problems, he suffered unrequited love, harsh critical reviews, and social isolation. After a life filled with stuggle and setbacks, he died alone in Paris on 23 May 1883. 

His work was only rediscovered and appreciated by the Young Poland art movement. In the first half of the 20th century, Norwid will become famous among the Polish public thanks to the poet Zenon Przesmycki. The latter published several of Norwid’s writings.  

Today, Cyprian Norwid is considered one of the most important Polish romantic poets. 

Here you can listen to one of the most moving poems he wrote on exile, expressing his great longing for Poland – “Piosnka”/”My song”:

“For that land where a scrap of bread is picked up

From the ground out of reverence

For Heaven’s gifts…

I am homesick, Lord!…

For the land where it’s a great travesty

To harm a stork’s nest in a pear tree,

For storks serve us all…

I am homesick, Lord!…

For the land where we greet each other

In the ancient Christian custom:

“May Christ’s name be praised!”

I am homesick, Lord!…

I long still for yet another thing, likewise innocent,

For I no longer know where to find

My abode…

I am homesick, Lord!

For worrying-not and thinking-not,

For those whose yes means yes — and no means no —

Without shades of grey…

I am homesick, Lord!

I long for that distant place, where someone cares for me!

It must be thus, though my friendship

Will never come to pass!…

I am homesick, Lord!”

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Author: Sébastien Meuwissen