The eminent Polish poet Julian Tuwim was a childhood companion of many generations of Poles, who listened or read his poems with delight and joy. Today, on December 27, it is the 69th anniversary of his death.
Julian Tuwim was born in Łódź, Poland, on 13 September 1894. He was known also under the pseudonym “Oldlen”.
He was a major figure in Polish literature, admired also for his contribution to children’s literature. Also, Tuwim received the prestigious Golden Laurel of the Polish Academy of Literature in 1935.
Tuwim’s poetry was characterized by an expression of vitality, optimism, in praise of urban life. His poems celebrated everyday life in the city, with its triviality and vulgarity. Tuwim often used vernacular language in his work, along with slang as well as poetic dialogue.
„Polish Flowers” by Julian Tuwim A box with paints from childhood's time: The colors of town are earth and grime. An old worker at a dark doorway squats, The spuds in his bowl are powdery dry. It's a face of yellowish and gray spots In the midst of hunger, cold, dirt and slime. retrieved from mypoeticside.com
From the very beginning and throughout his artistic career, Tuwim was satirically inclined. He supplied sketches and monologues to numerous cabarets. In his poetry and articles, he derided obscurantism and bureaucracy as well as militaristic and nationalistic trends in politics. His burlesque Bal w Operze (“The Ball at the Opera”; 1936) is regarded as his best satirical poem.