Literacka podróż do Wilna 1996-2006 wedlug Zbigniewa Dominiaka

ENText is the attempt at interpretation of two poems by Zbigniew Dominiak, Lodz poet, died in 2002. He made his first journey to Lithuania and Byelorussia in 1996. The poetic outcome of that visit were poems published in volume Itinerarium (journey diary) and one of them (At Bieniakonia Churchyard) is familiar to Lithuanian readers - it was rewarded at Poetic Autumn of Druskienniki. The focus of my attention are two poems: The moment at Konrad's Cell, 25th of June 1996 and Vilnius, Museum of Ghosts, 25/26'h of June 1996. The both compare personal literary images to Vilnius contemporary reality. The both recall myths important for shaping Polish national identity (the romantic and the borderland) and submit them for reinterpretation. The both are important evidence of changing collective and individual perception of Lithuanian-Polish relations. The second poem is particularly interesting in my opinion. It is the sort of epic quest - squaring up with the past. It recalls mutual history of the two nations: from Sigmund August and Barbara of Radziwill to German occupation and on the level of literary tradition recalls Piotr Skarga, Adam Mickiewicz, Maciej Kazimierz Sarbiewski, Juliusz Slowacki, Czeslaw Milosz, Jaroslaw Marek Rymkiewicz and Jozef Mackiewicz. Dominiak's suggestion is an important voice of Polish poet demythologized image of the past and the present-day Vilnius.