As fresh, as young, as unforgettable… Mihai Eminescu is the Romanian soul, our very essence, a poet who influenced and changed the Romanian culture.
His image is everywhere, his works are studied in all Romanian schools, and yet we know so little about his legacy. He was a Romantic, yes, a poet, yes, and probably, no, certainly, so much more.
Born January 15, 1850, Mihail Eminovici changed his name to Mihai Eminescu at the suggestion of Iosif Vulcan, who disliked the Slavic source suffix “-ici”. Today he is considered the national poet of Romania, Moldova, and of the Romanians who live in the Ukrainian part of Bucovina.
So Fresh Thou Art…
So like the sweet, white cherry blossom,
So tender and so fresh thou art,
And on my life’s way like an angel
Appearing thou dost light impart.
Thou scarcely touchest the soft carpet,
The silk on thee doth rustling stream,
From top to toe so light and lofty,
Thou floatest like an airy dream.
From draping folds like purest marble
Thine image unto me appears,
My whole soul on thine eyes is hanging,
Those eyes so full of joy and tears.
O happy dream of love, so happy,
Thou bride of fairy tales, so mild,
No, do not smile! Thy smille doth show me
How sweet thou art, thou gentle child.
My poor eyes thou canst close for ever
With deepest night’s eternal charms,
With thy sweet lips’ sweet fondling, whispers,
Embracing me with thy cool arms.
A veiling thought at once now passes
Thy glowing eyes thus covering:
It is the dark renunciation,
The sweetest yearning’s shadowing.
Thou go’st away and, well I know it,
To follow thee must I no more,
Thou art for me now lost for ever,
My soul’s dear bride, whom I adore.
My only guilt was that I saw thee,
Which I to pardon have no might,
Mine arm I’ll stretch for ever vainly
To expiate my dream of light.
Like holy Virgin’s purest image
In my fond eyes thou will rise now,
The brightest crown on forehead bearing,
Where dost thou go? When comest thou?
A Dacian’s Prayer
When death did not exist, nor yet eternity,
Before the seed of life had first set living free,
When yesterday was nothing, and time had not begun,
And one included all things, and all was less than one,
When sun and moon and sky, the stars, the spinning earth
Were still part of the things that had not come to birth,
And You quite lonely stood… I ask myself with awe,
Who is this mighty God we bow ourselves before.
Ere yet the Gods existed already He was God
And out of endless water with fire the lightning shed;
He gave the Gods their reson, and joy to earth did bring,
He brought to man forgiveness, and set salvation’s spring
Lift up your hearts in worship, a song of praise enfreeing,
He is the death of dying, the primal birth of being.
To him I owe my eyes that I can see the dawn,
To him I owe my heart wherein is pity born;
Whene’er I hear the tempest, I hear him pass along
Midst multitude of voices raised in a holy song;
And yet of his great mercy I beg still one behest:
That I at last be taken to his eternal rest.
Be curses on the fellow who would my praise acclaim,
But blessings upon him who does my soul defame;
Believe no matter whom who slanders my renown,
Give power to the arm that lifts to strike me down;
Let him upon the earth above all others loom
Who steals away the stone that lies upon my tomb.
Hunted by humanity, let me my whole life fly
Until I feel from weeping my very eyes are dry;
Let everyone detest me no matter where I go,
Until from persecution myself I do not know;
Let misery and horror my heart transform to stone,
That I may hate my mother, in whose love I have grown;
Till hating and deceiving for me with love will vie,
And I forget my suffering, and learn at last to die.
Dishonoured let me perish, an outcast among men;
My body less than worthy to block the gutter then,
And may, o God of mercy, a crown of diamonds wear
The one who gives my heart the hungry dogs to tear,
While for the one who in my face does callous fling a clod
In your eternal kingdom reserve a place, o God.
Thus only, gracious Father, can I requitance give
That you from your great bounty vouched me the joy to live;
To gain eternal blessings my head I do not bow,
But rather ask that you in hating compassion show.
Till comes at last the evening, your breath will mine efface,
And into endless nothing I go, and leave no trace.
One Wish Alone Have I
One wish alone have I:
In some calm land
Beside the sea to die;
Upon its strand
That I forever sleep,
The forest near,
A heaven near,
Stretched over the peaceful deep.
No candles shine,
Nor tomb I need, instead
Let them for me a bed
Of twigs entwine.
That no one weeps my end,
Nor for me grieves,
But let the autumn lend
Tongues to the leaves,
When brooklet ripples fall
With murmuring sound,
And moon is found
Among the pine-trees tall,
While softly rings
The wind its trembling chime
And over me the lime
Its blossom flings.
As I will then no more
A wanderer be,
Let them with fondness store
My memory.
And Lucifer the while,
Above the pine.
Good comrade mine,
Will on me gently smile;
In mournful mood,
The sea sings sad refrain …
And I be earth again
In solitude.
Buna ziua! I came upon your blog while searching and searching for an old tradition that I remember. I finally found the word for it: mucenici. I’d love to see a post about it. I spent two years in Romania, as a Peace Corps Volunteer a few years back, in Teleorman. I remember one of my friends made a couple of different kinds of mucenici, to represent various traditions, since she was originally from farther west in the country.
By the way, I think of Mihai Eminescu as more than just the national poet; he’s also something of a national hero. I found it very interesting that Romanians really didn’t regard any statesmen as national heroes, preferring instead poets and artists.
Hi Laura,
I will post a recipe as soon as I get the chance. There will be some changes here soon – we intend to make the site richer, more complex, to transform it into a real travel site instead of just a blog. The blog entries will still be here though 🙂 You’ll find your recipe soon.
Mig