# Marcin Malek

Marcin Malek (born 24.02.1975, in Warsaw, Poland) is a Polish poet, writer, playwright, and journalist. Published mainly in quarterlies: „Fronda”, „Tygiel Kultury”, „Akcent” and monthlies: „Nowe Państwo”, „Stosunki Międzynarodowe”, „Opcja na prawo”. Winner of the annual award of "Poetry&Paratheatre" journal (category: poem of the Year) for year 2012, (work: „Bieg – Czyli list do współczesnych”/"Run – a letter to the present"). Since 2006 lives and works in Ireland.

## Quotes from literary works

Among the things (2012) by Marcin Malek
* HERE
"above Dublin
below a skyline aflame
with white dwarfs’ blazing fires
a hushed town
gazes into the distance
and wanes like an agate stone
that sleeps amongst sharp reeds
in cloudy waters of the ford
longing for its soul."
** Source: Page 18-20, verse V
** Originally written in English
* 1916
"Let us lift the fallen!
Because who else – who else than we
would summon them like autumn leafs
when time will shake the bells of our dreams
a “Foggy dew”
And once the time runs out
for everything and nothing at all
with a triumphant song on our lips
we shall wage war on the entire world!"
** Source: Page 38, verse V,VI.
** Notes: Originally written in English
* "SINN"
"We are the anthems, trumpets
long-maned waves and roaring seas
we are the heavy columns of clouds
and eager sharp granite fangs
we are the yellow sands
that marble moon, grey dust
a stone’s shadow as hard as tears
of river streams and famine time
we boundless days, empty nights
blood on the threshold, iris of guns
hangman's ropes and trenches –
of gaping hollow graves"
** Source: Page 42, verse I-III.
** Notes: Originally written in English. „Sinn”: In Gaelic means "We". Poem was created in response to an appeal of fellow Irishman, who ask to wrote something in kind of Arthur O'Shaughnessy's "Ode", maintaining similar styling. (footnote from page 42)
* A SPRING
"Long stalks of rain
are growing from the skies
down towards ash-black soil,
softer than deer hearts
frozen in concentration
at river banks
Everything that is not here
lies beyond these waters – more effusive
than a fisherman’s song,
when come evening time
they sail back to theirs rocky homes
settled at Shannon’s ridges
winding like a maggot in a downpour
and greener still
than eyes of women
that bear the same name"
** Source: Page 56, verse I-II.
** Notes: Originally written in English
Diary of an unfinished journey (2012) by Marcin Malek
* A CARE
"Your shadow –
Looks nothing like you
She said passing me by
I pass her by with no regrets
My shadow is my care –
I said
I’m of Darkness –
And Darkness is of me
If you know the place –
where it comes from?
She looked over her shoulder
Only a man She said
Only man – all over the place
wanders along his own steps"
** Source: Page 86, verse I-II.
** Notes: Originally written in English
* THE ODIUM
"Did you know,
that lack of touch
sometimes hurts more
than a strike?"
** Source: Page 134, the whole piece
** Notes: Originally written in English

## Non-English quotes

* ÉIRE
"Gdybym był alfą i omegą w jednym
nie umiałbym kochać cię bardziej niż teraz
niedojrzała ojczyzno zbłąkanych złudzeń
Wystarczy, że chodzę po twojej ziemi
i piję z twoich źródeł"
* ÉIRE (translation)
"If I were the alpha and omega all at once
I could not love you more than now
Immature motherland of stray illusions
I'm grateful to feel your soil
and quench my thirst on your rivers"
** Source: Call me an idiot (2012) by Marcin Malek (pages 13-14, the whole piece)
* TYM BARDZIEJ
"Uparty człowieku
im bardziej łakniesz światła
tym bardziej diabeł się cieszy"
* THE MORE (translation)
"Stubborn little man
the more light you desire
the more devil rubs his hands"
** Source: Call me an idiot (2012) by Marcin Malek (pages 22, the whole piece)
* ZABAWA
"Rankiem nad rzeką bawiły się dzieci
Przybyli mężczyźni
W południe rzeka bawiła się dziećmi"
* TRIFLE
"On early morn children were playing at the river’s shore
close to the noon soldiers came out of the blue
by the dim river red played theirs sins."
** Source: Call me an idiot (2012) by Marcin Malek (pages 41, the whole piece)

## References

* Marcin Malek Among the things, Publisher. Miniatura, Krakow 2012. (Bilingual book Polish/English) ISBN 9788376063416, pages 18,38,42,56.
* Marcin Malek Diary of an unfinished journey, Publisher. Miniatura, Krakow 2012.(Bilingual book Polish/English) ISBN 9788376063775, pages 86, 134.
* Marcin Malek Call me an idiot, Publisher. Miniatura, Krakow 2012. ISBN 9788376064406, pages 13,14, 22, 41.
* National Library of Poland