The Holy Fire of Poetry.

Pushkin has written the verse "He Was Living Among Us" in 1834 year and devoted it to Adam Mickiewicz. Pushkin has
mentioned in his memoirs about his meetings with this great man who has been saying often about "the times in future when the nations will forget their disputes and will unite in one great society". This may be the cause that all the world knows Mickiewicz who was born 200 years ago. By the way, Russian people worshipped the poet yet at the start of his career. Mickiewicz has printed his first verse in 1818 year. He has printed 500 copies of his first book of verses in Vilnius four years later. The second one was issued next year. These works were the Mickiewicz's assets at the time of his arrival in St.Petersburg city. The collections of verses that were printed in province in small quantity should not have been noticed in the capital city. But the poet Tumansky in St.Petersburg has translated to Russian language Mickiewicz's sonnet "The Remembrance" at the time when the author was in Lithuania yet. Ryleev has written the verse "The Remembrance" to follow up the original one. This was the start of Adam Mickiewicz's poetry presentation to Russia's people.

He was met with enthusiasm in St.Petersburg, Odessa, Moscow. All people who have seen or heard him, who have read his works, have experienced the charm of Mickiewicz as poet and genius. He has a great talent of improvisation. Pushkin has also experienced the affect of this Mickiewicz's ability. Vikenty Veresaev has wrote in his book "The Pushkin's Companions" --

"Pushkin has jumped in joy at the time of one of these improvisations in Moscow and almost ran around the room shouting "What a genius! What a Holy Fire! What is myself in comparison with him!".
Other worshippers have treated Mickiewicz the same.

Mickiewicz has printed the "Sonnets", his third book of poetry collection, at the 1826 year's December in Moscow, and in the

April's issue of "Moscow Telegraph" they were already published in the P.Viazemsky poetic translation. Ivan Kozlov, the blind poet who was famous these times, has made the first full translation of "The Crimea's Sonnets" two years later. Mickiewicz was touched by this feat. He has devoted the "Faris" verse to Kozlov.

In 1828 year's February Adam Mickiewicz's poem "Konrad Wallenrod" was published in St.Petersburg. The poem has made a great impression on the reading people. This can be derived from the fact that Pushkin has started the poem's translation in the March of the same year. He has not completed the work though because he has to take care of other things. At the same time there exists the small part of "Konrad Wallenrod" translated by Pushkin.

It was not easy to publish Mickiewicz's works in Russia after the Polish Rebellion. Mickiewicz's name was under the ban due to his views. In spite of this his works were known by Russia's readers. There was published the Adam Mickiewicz's works collection in five volumes under the leadership of P.Polevoy in 1882-1883 years. It was the world's most complete collection at these times. The five volumes works collection has started to be published from 1948 year under the leadership of Maxim Rylsky to celebrate the 150th year of Adam Mickiewicz's birth day anniversary. By the way, for "The Commander" and "Budris and His Sons" verses were used the Pushkin's translations.

Adam Mickiewicz has entered the Belarus culture with his first creative steps. You can remember the verse "On the Arrival of Adam Mickiewicz" by Y.Chechot which was written back in 1819 year. But the in his life time the Adam Mickiewicz works' translations to Belarus language were not published. The first such publication is dated by 1859 year. These were the parts from "Pan Tadeush", the famous poem by Adam Mickiewicz, which were translated by V.Dunin-Martinkevich and printed in Vilnius.

The interest to Adam Mickiewicz and his works has grown in Belarus at the start of this century. Yanka Kupala has translated the verses from "Konrad Wallenrod" poem and some of the ballads. Y.Kolas, K.Krapiva, M.Tank, M.Lujanin, M.Avramchik, A.Velugin, A.Zaritsky, and other poets have translated the works of Adam Mickiewicz in the Soviet Union times. These efforts have made it possible to publish in 1955 year, one hundred years after Adam Mickiewicz has died, the one volume collection of his best poems and verses in Belarus language under the leadership of Maxim Tank.

The new wave of interest to creative works of Polish poet is right now, when the whole world is celebrating the 200 years of poet's birth day anniversary.

Dmitry Moroz.
Russian to English translation
CopyRight (C) 1998/12/25 Dmitry Salnikov,
http://www.gis.minsk.by/salnikov/index.htm