tadeusz różewicz

Who Is a Poet

a poet is one who writes verses
and one who does not write verses

a poet is one who throws off fetters
and one who puts fetters on himself

a poet is one who believes
and one who cannot bring himself to believe

a poet is one who has told lies
and one who has been told lies

and who has been inclined to fall
and one who raises himself

a poet is one who tries to leave
and one who cannot leave


trans by magnus jan krynski and robert a maguire