Priešokčiais nuvogtas laikas: Vytės Nemunėlio poezija vaikams

LT1925 m. į lietuvių vaikų poeziją Brazdžionis atėjo kaip niekam nežinomas Vytė Nemunėlis. Rašydamas vaikams poetas niekada nepasirašinėjo Bernardu Brazdžioniu ir pyko juo pavadintas. Pasak Jono Linkevičiaus, Vytės vardas buvo pasirinktas pagal Didįjį Lietuvos kunigaikštį Vytautą, o pavardė Nemunėlis - Siaurės Lietuvos upės pavadinimas. Poetas yra sakęs, jog jo gimtosiose vaikystės vietose lakstę daug Vytukų ir tekėjęs nuostabus upelis - Nemunėlis. Matyt, iš čia, iš vaikystės prisiminimų, ir kilęs Vytės Nemunėlio pseudonimas. Priežastys, vertusios Brazdžionį žaisti dvigubus žaidimus literatūros erdvėje, tik nuspėjamos: kodėl pripažintam rimtosios literatūros erdvėse kūrėjui nesinorėjo būti įvardytam vaikų poetu? Ar vaikų literatūrą laikė antrarūše, nereikšminga? Beje, Brazdžionis neatpažintu pseudonimu itin džiaugėsi ir savąją kūrybą vertino kritiškai: tas Vytė Nemunėlis skambėjo geriau negu patys eilėraščiai. Brazdžionis savęs nelaikė profesionaliu vaikų literatūros kūrėju, o tikroji jo meilė bei rūpestis buvo poezija suaugusiems [p. 70].

ENThe article discusses the children's poetry by Bernardas Brazdžionis - Vytė Nemunėlis, a prominent Lithuanian classical poet of children's literature, and focuses on the depth of his literature interests: poetry for adults and children and his first attempts to systematize the history of Lithuanian children's literature. The poetry by Vytė Nemunėlis is analyzed in three aspects that reflect the key features of his creation and unfold through three key entities representing a child's pattern of life: the folklore, moral and religious ones. The three ways of unclosing a child's world in Vytė Nemunėlis' poetry were often interrelated and supplementing each other; they were determined by the poet's talent, his view of the world and world outlook. The variety of folklore material, specific aspects of the poetics of a poem and the play features of his poetry are emphasized in this work. Folklore became one of the ways to reveal national identity and specific aspects of content and form. Colorful folklore material assisted in looking deeper into the exceptional world of a child; thus the poem based on folklore became easier understood and more familiar for a child. The author stresses the fact that in children's poetry Vytė Nemunėlis played with the experience of various genre forms of children's songs (games, teasing, animal chanting); this experience allowed to reveal the aesthetical specificity of children's poetry.It is noted that the poet treated educational tendency as one of the most important functions in children's poetry; therefore, the focus should be laid on the utilitarian goals of the author. In the poetry of moral nature, the play with the poetics of folklore songs moved toward the play with situational games of children. Moreover, the religious poetry of Vytė Nemunėlis is also analyzed in great detail; attention is paid to the signs of ethical and aesthetical values and the manifestations of sacredness in children's poetry; and it is claimed that Vytė Nemunėlis remains the most highlighted creator and originator of children's religious poetry. The article searches for the answers to the questions Why did the self-respecting author, who was also established in quality literature sphere, avoid being recognized in children's literature? Is children's literature second-rate, insignificant? It is stressed that a child and his surrounding world remained an absolute value in Vytė Nemunėlis' poetry.