Wciąż rozmyślasz. Uparcie i skrycie.
Patrzysz w okno i smutek masz w oku…
Przecież mnie kochasz nad życie?
Sam mówiłeś przeszłego roku…
Śmiejesz się, lecz coś tkwi poza tym.
Patrzysz w niebo, na rzeźby obłoków…
Przecież ja jestem niebem i światem?
Sam mówiłeś przeszłego roku…
– Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska
(You’re still lost in thought. Stubborn and silent.
You look out the window, sorrow in your eyes…
Don’t you love me above all else?
You said it yourself last year…
You laugh, yet something remains hidden.
You gaze at the sky, at the shapes of clouds…
Am I not your sky and your world?
You said it yourself last year…)
Finally, a chance to sneak a bit of poetry into the post. I hope you enjoy it! For more Polish poetry, you’ll find a recommendation below.
Walentynki – the Polish Valentine’s Day
February 14th – a controversial day. In Poland, it’s been celebrated only since the 1990s and, of course, has become heavily commercialized: Walentynki.
But speaking the language of love in Polish isn’t that easy – because you have to diminutize your partner’s first name and put it in the vocative case!
So here’s my little guide: How to address your Polish love the right way
Male names (usually with endings -ek → -czek → -czku)
- Radek → Radeczek → Radeczku
- Marek → Mareczek → Mareczku
- Janek → Janeczek → Janeczku
- Tomek → Tomeczek → Tomeczku
- Bartek → Barteczek → Barteczku
- Also lovely: Michałku, Rafałku, Pawełku
Female names (usually with the ending + -u)
- Anna → Ania → Aniu
- Katarzyna → Kasia → Kasiu
- Joanna → Asia → Asiu
- Magda → Madzia → Madziu
- Iza → Izunia → Izuniu
- Ewa → Ewcia → Ewciu
- Danuta → Danusia → Danusiu
Harder endings → -o
- Beata → Beatka → Beatko
- Agata → Agatka → Agatko
And if all this feels too complicated – stick with kochanie (“darling”) or skarbie (“treasure”). Or pick something from the animal kingdom:
- Misiu – little bear / teddy bear
- Kotku – kitten
- Zajączku – little bunny
- Rybko – little fish
- Myszko – little mouse
- Żabko – little frog
Noc Kupały – the Slavic night of love
Did you know that in Poland, long before Valentine’s Day, there was a love festival of its own – much older, wilder, and more magical?
Noc Kupały, the festival of the summer solstice (June 20–24), was the original Slavic celebration of love, fertility, magic, and purification.
At its heart were two elements:
- Fire – bonfires people jumped over to purify themselves and bring good luck.
- Water – ritual baths in rivers for healing and renewal.
A popular custom: young women set self-woven flower wreaths afloat on the water. Whoever caught a wreath and returned it to its owner might become her life partner.
According to legend, a mystical fern flower blooms on this night. Whoever finds it is said to gain happiness, wealth, and invisibility.
Today, the festival is celebrated as the Christian St. John’s Night (Noc Świętojańska) on June 24 – with similar customs, but a new meaning.
Discover more Polish poetry
polska-poezja.pl – a wonderful online audio library of Polish poetry.
Poems by renowned poets from all eras, read by professional actors and also available in written form.
