While some might quibble with placing Cyprian Kamil Norwid on a list of Romantic literature, it’s hard to make a case against reading the poetry of the 19th-century author. Largely unknown in his lifetime, Norwid was younger than the vaunted wieszcze, critical of the messianic themes that shaped much of Romantic literature, and innovatively idiosyncratic in his style. Though overlooked by the Romantics, Norwid has since come to be read as a ‘precursor of modern Polish poetry’.
Vade-Mecum is a collection of one hundred short poems and reflects the depth and diversity of Norwid’s creativity. The title of the collection, Vade-Mecum, references a sort of guidebook and is translated as ‘come with me’ or ‘follow me’. Danuta Borchardt, a translator of Norwid’s work into English, notes that with his Vade-Mecum, Norwid invites his readers to ‘contemplate with him his ideas on life, society, religious philosophy, as well as personal responsibility and ethics’.
Within the collection, there is certainly something for everyone. In the introductory poem, quoted above, we see Norwid contemplating the nature of language. Those who read his verse and ‘join him’ in his thoughts will be treated to a groundbreaking poetic voice that continues to challenge and resonate today.
Written by Alena Aniskiewicz, 8 May 2022
Sources: ‘The History of Polish Literature’ by Czesław Miłosz (University of California Press, 1983); ‘Being Poland: A New History of Polish Literature and Culture since 1918’ edited by Tamara Trojanowska, Joanna Niżyńska, Przemysław Czapliński, Agnieszka Polakowska (University of Toronto Press, 2018); Culture.pl