Krzysztof Karasek

(b. 1937) – poet, prose writer, essayist, literary critic, translator.

His press debut took place in 1966 in the monthly “Poezja”. In the years 1967-71 he was one of the editors at the magazine “Orientacje”, worked at the monthly “Nowy Wyraz” until 1978, and at the monthly “Literatura” in the years 1983-93. For many years he was the literary director of Polskie Radio’s Channel 2. His debut poetry book, “Godzina jastrzębi” (The Hour of Hawks, 1970), which created quite a stir on publication, demonstrated the author’s engagement in socio-political issues.

From the start, he was a seeker of an artist, fascinated by the city and progress; he did not limit himself to familiar forms, using the experiences of the avant-garde, remained a poet with a “strong classical foundation” (phrase adapted from Adam Ważyk, one of the poet’s masters). The writer himself points to three concepts that are key to him: “visionariness”, “experience” and “unpredictability”. The concept of poetry and model of the polyphonic poem are important to Karasek, so his work is multidimensional and ambiguous and the represented world is seen from various perspectives. His poems are enriched with a wide cultural context – philosophical, historical, psychological, musical. The volume “Wiedza radosna” (Joyous Knowledge) features an acceptance and affirmation of both the light and dark sides of life.

Karasek’s poetry was highly regarded by Marek Nowakowski, Ryszard Kapuściński and Tomasz Burek. Zbigniew Bieńkowski emphasised its political neutrality and aesthetic value when he wrote: “The cognitive charge, philosophy and self-awareness of this poetry have the greatest weight currently” (“Express Wieczorny” 1992, issue 210). Zbigniew Herbert, in turn, unambiguously asserted late in life: “Krzysztof Karasek, in my opinion the most outstanding poet of the Polish New Wave, which emerged in 1968. His poetry is mature, serious, intellectually resonant and excellently <<made>> from a literary point of view. Speaking in sporting terms, he outdistanced his peers” (“Tygodnik Solidarność” 1994, issue 51). Krzysztof Karasek edited poetry selections by authors including Tadeusz Peiper, Rafał Wojaczek and Tytus Czyżewski, as well as the anthology “Współcześni poeci polscy. Poezja polska od roku 1956” (Contemporary Polish Poets. Polish Poetry after 1956, 1997).

In 2008 he received the silver Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture. He is the laureate of many awards, including the Konstanty Ildefons Gałczyński Orpheus Poetry Prize for the best book of the year (“Wiatrołomy” – Blowdown, 2012), the Literary Award of the Capital City of Warsaw for “Dziennik rozbitka” (The Castaway’s Journal, 2013 – which also received a nomination for the Wisława Szymborska Award in the same year), the lifetime achievement Władysław Reymont Literary Award (2008). In 2014 he was a finalist of the Konstanty Ildefons Gałczyński Orpheus Poetry Prize for the best book of the year (“Słoneczna balia dzieciństwa” – The Sunlit Washtub of Childhood).

His poems included in anthologies have been translated into languages including Croatian, German, Hungarian and Serbian.