Zbigniew Herbert

thumb|You survived not to live on your time is short, you have to give a proof of truth. Zbigniew Herbert (29 October 1924 – 28 July 1998) was a Polish poet, playwright and essayist. Quotes And if the City falls and one surviveshe shall carry the City within on the roads of exilehe shall be the City Report from the Besieged City And now I won't be on any of them group photo (proud proof of my death in all literary weekly magazines in the world)when someonewill say, look, you see - it's Zbyszek - pointing fingerat a manstruggling with a suitcase - but that's not itI'm someone else who isn't even from this industrythere is no me and there is complete emptiness End Jeśli tematem sztukibędzie dzbanek rozbitymała rozbita duszaz wielkim żalem nad sobąto co po nas zostaniebędzie jak płacz kochankóww małym brudnym hotelukiedy świtają tapety if the subject of art will be a broken juga small broken soulwith a great self-pity what will remain of uswill be like tears of lovers in a small dirty hotel when wallpapers dawn Why the Classics Go where the others have gone, to the tenebrous limitfor the golden fleece of void, your ultimate prizego upright among those who are on their kneesamong those turning their backs on and those fallen to dust. Message of Mr. Cogito And do not forgive indeed it is beyond your powerto forgive in the name of those betrayed at dawn Message of Mr. Cogito You survived not to live onyour time is short, you have to give a proof of truth Message of Mr. Cogito Go for it is the only way to be accepted to the circle of cold skullsthe circle of your forefathers: Gilgamesh Hector Rolanddefenders of the kingdom of no frontiers and of the city of ashesBe faithful Go Message of Mr. Cogito I turn to history not for lessons but to confront my experience with the experience of others and to win for myself a sense of responsibility for the state of the human conscience. Quoted by Michael Hamburger, in his book, The Truth of Poetry Now that we're alone we can talk prince man to manthough you lie on the stairs and see no more than a dead ant. Elegy of Fortinbras Adieu prince I have tasks a sewer projectand a decree on prostitutes and beggarI must also elaborate a better system of prisonssince as you justly said Denmark is a prisonI go to my affairs This night is borna star named Hamlet We shall never meetwhat I shall leave will not be worth a tragedyIt is not for us to greet each other or bid farewell we live on archipelagosand that water these words what can they do what can they do prince. Elegy of Fortinbras The liver is not a gentleman. quote from Leopold Tyrmand Diary 1954 Quotes about Zbigniew Herbert His poems, even in English, seem to me finer than anything currently being written by any English or American poet. A.Alvarez, The New York Review of Books (18 July 1985) External links Biography at Culture.pl Category:Poets from Poland Category:1924 births Category:1998 deaths Category:Essayists from Poland Category:Playwrights from Poland Category:Catholics from Poland Category:People from Lviv