Poetry

They are the most famous Hungarian poets:

Sándor Petöfi (1801-1849)

One of the greatest Hungarian poets, who became the voice of rebellious youth of his country. Like Byron, Petõfi believed in the Romantic idea of an artist as freedom fighter, and his death created a legend and mystery. Petõfi's prolific career ended at the age of 26. In the six years 1844-49 he published 10 volumes of poems.

Rise up, Magyar, the country calls!
It's 'now or never' what fate befalls...
Shall we live as slaves or free men?
That's the question - choose your `Amen'!
God of Hungarians,
we swear unto Thee,
We swear unto Thee - that slaves we shall
no longer be!

János Arany (1817–1882)

Hungarian epic poet, born in Nagyszalonta; took part in Hungarian revolution and edited government newspaper for peasants; elected secretary-general of Hungarian academy; main epic work is ‘Toldi' trilogy; received with enthusiasm by a public craving a national literature of quality in a language understood by all; fragmented epic poem, ‘Stephen the Fool' (1850), valuable…

Ferenc Kölcsey (1790-1838)

Hungarian Romantic poet whose poem “Hymnusz” (1823), evoking the glory of Hungary's past, became the national anthem of Hungary.

Orphaned at an early age and handicapped by the loss of an eye, Kölcsey spent much of his solitary youth reading Greek poets and German classicists. Though he studied law, his real…

Miklós Radnóti (1909-1944)

Hungarian poet and translator, who is considered one of the most important 20th-century poets of his country. Radnóti was killed at the age of thirty-five during World War II on a forced march toward Germany. After the war Radnóti's last poems, written in a notebook during the march, were discovered from the mass grave in which he was buried.

Without commas, one line touching the other
I write poems the way I live, in darkness,
blind, crossing the paper like a worm.
Flashlights, books - the guards took everything.
There's no mail, only fog drifts over the barracks.
(from 'Eclogue VII,' trans. by Steven Polgár)

Endre Ady (1877-1919)

Poet, journalist, short story writer, who took the role of "the conscience of the Hungarian nation," prophesying spiritual rebirth or pessimistically the destruction of "Everything". Ady is best-known for his daring works celebrating sensual love, but he also wrote religious and revolutionary poems. His expression was radical in form, language and content, mixing eroticism, politics, and biblical style and images with apocalyptic visions.

oh I have lived a disgusting life,
oh I have lived a disgusting life;
I shall be such a pretty corpse,
I shall be such a pretty corpse.
(from 'The Last Smile')

Written by: Izabella

sources:

http://oldpoetry.com

www.kirjasto.sci.fi/radnoti.htm