JANUARY

MIHAI EMINESCU
15 JANUARY 1850 15 JUNE 1889
On 15 January 2014 we celebrate 125 years of death of Romanian poet Mihai Eminescu. Born MIHAI EMINOVICI, was a romantic poet, novelist and journalist, often regarded as the most famous Romanian poet.Eminescu was an active member of the Junimea literary society and he worked as an editor for the newspaper The Time (Timpul).His poetry was first published when he was 16 and he went to Vienna to study when he was 19.The poets Manuscripts contains 46 volumes and approximately 14.000 pages, were offered by Titu Maiorescu as a gift to the Romanian Academy during the meeting that was held on 25 January 1902. In his poems he frequently used metaphysical, mythological, and historical subjects. In general his work was influenced by the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer.

His Family
His father was Gheorghe Eminovici from Clineti, a Moldavian village in Suceava county..He crossed the border into Moldavia, settling in Ipoteti , near the town Botoani. He married Raluca Iuracu, an heiress of an aristocratic Moldavian family. Eminescu is the seventh of the children of c aminar Gheorghe Eminovici. His grandparents live in Clinesti of Cuparencu, not far from Suceava, Transylvanian village founded by immigrants at that time. Paternal grandparents died from the cholera epidemic of 1844, and poet born much later, did not know and did not evoke them in his work.

From 1858 to 1866 he attended school in Cernui.He finished 4th grade as the 5th of 82 students, after which he attended two years of gymnasium. The first evidence of EMINESCU as a writer is in 1866.In January of that year Romanian teacher ARON PUMNUL died and his student in Cernui published a pamphlet, Lcrmioarele nvceilor gimnaziati ( Tears of the Gymnasium Students)in which a poem entitled La mormntul lui Aron Pumnul ( At the grave of Aron Pumnul) appears, signed M. Eminovici .On 25 February his poem De-a avea ( If were to have ) was published in Iosif Vulcans literary magazine Familia in Pest .This began a steady series of published poems(and the occasional translation from German).Also, it was Iosif Vulcan, who disliked the Slavic source suffix -ici of the young poets last name, that chose for him the more apparent Romanian nom de plume MIHAI EMINESCU. In 1867 he joined the troupe of Iorgu Caragiale as clerk and prompter, the next year he transferred to the troupe of Mihai Pascaly. Both of these were among the leading Romanian theatratical troupes of their day, the latter including Matei Millo and Fanny Tardini Vldicescu.He soon settled in Bucharest, where at the end of November he became a clerk and copyist for the National Theatre. Throught this period, he continued to write and publish poems. He also paid his rent by translating hundreds of pages of a book by Heinrich Theodor Rotscher..Also at this time he began his novel Geniul Pustiu( Wasted Genius),published posthumously in 1904 in an unfinished form.

From October 1869 to 1872 he studied in Vienna. He was counted as an extraordinary auditor at the Faculty of Philosophy and Law. He was active in student life, befriended Ioan Slavici, and came to know Vienna through Veronica Micle .He became a contributor to CONVORBIRI LITERARE ( Literary Conversations),edited by Junimea ( The Youth).The leaders of this cultural organization, Petre P. Carp, Vasile Pogor, Iacob Negruzzi and Titu Maiorescu exercised their political and cultural influence over Eminescu for the rest of his life. Impressed by one of Eminescus poems,Venere i Madon(Venus and Madona),Iacob Negruzi, the editor of Convorbiri Literare traveled to Vienna to meet him. In 1870 Eminescu wrote three articles under pseudonym Varro in FEDERAIUNEA in Pest on the situation of Romanians and others minorities in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He then became a journalist for newspaper ALBINA(The Bee) in Pest. From 1872 to 1874 he continued as a student in Berlin, thanks to a stipend offered by Junimea.

From 1874 to 1877 he worked as director of the Central Library in Iai, substitute teacher, school inspector for the counties of Iai and Vaslui, and editor of the newspaper Curierul de Iai(The Courier of Iai),all thanks to this friendship with Titu Maiorescu,the leader of Junimea and rector of University of Iai. He continued to publish in Convorbiri Literare.He became a good friend of Ion Creang,whom he convinced to become a writer and introduced to the Junimea Literary club. In 1877 he moved to Bucharest,where until 1833 he was first journalist ,then (1880)editor-inchief of the newspaper TIMPUL ( The Time).During this time he wroteScrisorile, Leceafrul,Od in metru antic,etc Most of this notable editorial pieces belong to this period,when Romania was fighting the Ottoman Empire in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 and throughout the diplomatic race that eventually brought about the International recognition of Romanian independence, but under the condition of bestowing Romanian citizenship to all subjects of Jewish faith. Eminescu opposed this and another clause of the Treaty of Berlin. Romanias having to give southern Bassarabia to Russia in exchange for Northern Dobrudja, a former CENTRAL LIBRARY Ottoman province on the Black Sea. In IAI June 1883,the poet fell seriously ill,and was interned in the hospital Dr.uu. In December 1883,his volume Poesii appeared,with a selection of poems and with a preface by Titu Maiorescu.

CONSTANA

IAI

ICONOGRAPHY Eminescu is omnipresent in Present day Romania. His statues are everywhere. His face was on 1000 lei banknote issued in 1998 and

is on the new 500 lei banknote issued in 2005 as the highest denominated banknote. Many schools and other institutions are named after him. The anniversaires of his birth and his death are celebrated each year in many Romanian cities ,and they became national celebrations in 1989 ( the centennial of his death ), and 2000 ( 150 years of his birth, proclaimed Eminescu s year in Romania ).

LACUL

The Lake
Water lilies load all over The blue lake amid the woods, That imparts, while in white circles Startling, to a boat its moods. And along the strands I'm passing Listening, waiting, in unrest, That she from the reeds may issue And fall, gently, on my breast; That we may jump in the little Boat, while water's voices whelm All our feelings; that enchanted I may drop my oars and helm; That all charmed we may be floating While moon's kindly light surrounds Us, winds cause the reeds to rustle And the waving water sounds. But she does not come; abandoned, Vainly I endure and sigh Lonely, as the water lilies On the blue lake ever lie.

Lacul codrilor albastru Nuferi galbeni l ncarc, Tresrind n cercuri albe El cutremur o barc. i eu trec de-a lung de maluri, Parc-ascult i parc-atept Ea din trestii s rsar i s-mi cad lin pe piept; S srim n luntrea mic, ngnai de glas de ape, i s scap din mn crma i lopeile s-mi scape; S plutim cuprini de farmec Sub lumina blndei lune Vntu-n trestii lin foneasc, Undoioasa ap sune!

Dar nu vine... Singuratic n zadar suspin i sufr Lng lacul cel albastru ncrcat cu flori de nufr.

Trecut-au anii!.....
Trecut-au anii ca nori lungi pe esuri i niciodat n-or s vie iar, Years have trailed past like clouds over a country, Cci nu m-ncnta azi cum se micar And they'll never return, for they're gone forever, Poveti i doine, ghicitori, eresuri, And I no longer enjoy such light Endeavour Ce fruntea-mi de copil o-nseninar, As the magic of folk songs or the land of fairy Abia-nelese, plin de-nelesuri Which as a child filled me with wonder, Cu-a tale umbre azi n van m-npresuri, Not quite understood yet meaning so much to O, ceas al tainei, asfintit de sar. me, S smulg un sunet din trecutul vieii, And now these shadows try to recapture me S fac, o, suflet, ca din nou s tremuri In this hour of mystery, this twilight hour. Cu mna mea n van pe lir lunec; Pierdut e totu-n zarea tinereii These trembling fingers touch the strings in vain i mut-i gura dulce-a altor vremuri, To find the right notes from the fading memory Of youth, so that my soul can vibrate again. Iar timpul crete-n urma mea... mntunec!
Everything's disappeared from the horizon of that distant plain And you can no longer hear the voice of past harmony. Behind me time gathers . . . and I darken!

Years have trailed past!...

To the star
The radiance from that newborn star Will take many thousands of years To travel a path that comes so far To finally reach our eyes. Perhaps it died while on its way Through infinite blue space, Yet only now does its light stray To shine upon your face. Slowly climbing the dark skies Is the dead star's icon: Invisible when it did exist, Today, we see an illusion. And so it is when passion's fled Lost in the depths of night, The light of our love, now dead, Still haunts us in its flight.

La Steaua
La steaua care-a rsrit E-o cale-att de lung, C mii de ani i-au trebuit Luminii s ne-ajung. Poate de mult s-a stins n drum n deprtri albastre, Iar raza ei abia acum Luci vederii noastre.

Icoana stelei ce-a murit ncet pe cer se suie; Era pe cnd nu s-a zrit, Azi o vedem, i nu e.
Tot astfel cnd al nostru dor Pieri n noapte-adnc, Lumina stinsului amor Ne urmrete nc.

And If...
And if the branches tap my pane And the poplars whisper nightly, It is to make me dream again I hold you to me tightly. And if the stars shine on the pond And light its somber shoal, It is to quench my mind's despond And flood with peace my soul. And if the clouds their tresses part And does the moon out blaze, It is but to remind my heart I long for you always.

i dac
i dac ramuri bat n geam i se cutremur plopii, E ca n minte s te am i-ncet s te apropii. i dac stele bat n lac Adncu-i luminndu-l, E ca durerea mea s-o-mpac nseninndu-mi gndul. i dac norii dei se duc De iese-n luciu luna, E ca aminte s-mi aduc De tine-ntotdeauna.

Desire
Come now to the forest's spring Running wrinkling over the stones, To where lush and grassy furrows Hide away in curving boughs. Then you can run to my open arms, Be held once more in my embrace, I'll gently lift that veil of yours To gaze again upon your face. And then you can sit upon my knee, We'll be all alone, alone there, While the lime tree thrilled with rapture Showers blossoms on your hair. Your white brow with those golden curls Will slowly draw near to be kissed, Yielding as prey to my greedy mouth Those sweet, red, cherry lips . . . We'll dream only happy dreams Echoed by wind's song in the trees, The murmur of the lonely spring, The caressing touch of the gentle breeze. And drowsy with this harmony Of a forest bowed deep as in prayer, Lime-tree petals that hang above us Will fall sifting higher and higher.

Dorina
Vino-n codru la izvorul Care tremur pe prund, Unde prispa cea de brazde Crengi plecate o ascund. i n braele-mi ntinse S alergi, pe piept s-mi cazi, S-i desprind din cretet vlul, S-l ridic de pe obraz. Pe genunchii mei edea-vei, Vom fi singuri-singurei, Iar n pr nfiorate Or s-i cad flori de tei. Fruntea alb-n prul galben Pe-al meu bra ncet s-o culci, Lsnd prad gurii mele Ale tale buze dulci...

Vom visa un vis ferice, ngna-ne-vor c-un cnt Singuratece izvoare, Blnda batere de vnt;
Adormind de armonia Codrului btut de gnduri, Flori de tei deasupra noastr Or s cad rnduri-rnduri.

Venus and Madonna

Oh, ideal lost in night-mists of a vanished universe: People who would think in legends - all a world who spoke in verse; I can see and think and hear you - youthful scout which gently nods From a sky with different starlight's, other Eden's, other gods.

Venere i Madon
Ideal pierut n noaptea unei lumi ce nu mai este, Lume ce gndea n basme i vorbea n poezii, O! te vd, te-aud, te cuget, tnr i dulce veste Dintr-un cer cu alte stele, cu-alte raiuri, cu ali zei. Venere, marmur cald, ochi de piatr ce scnteie, Brat molatic ca gndirea unui mprat poet, Tu ai fost divinizarea frumuseii de femeie, A femeiei, ce i astzi tot frumoas a o revd. Rafael, pierdut n visuri ca-ntr-o noapte nstelat, Suflet mbtat de raze i d-eterne primveri, Te-a vzut i-a visat raiul cugrdini mblsmate, Te-a vzut plutind regin printre ngerii din cer i-a creat pe pnz goal pe Madona Dumnezeie, Cu diadem de stele, cu sursul blnd, vergin, Fat pal-n raze blonde, chip de nger, dar femeie, Cci femeia-i prototipul ngerilor din senin. Astfel eu, pierdut n noaptea unei viei de poezie, Te-am vzut, femeie stearp, fr suflet, fr foc, i-am fcut din tine-un nger, blnd ca ziua de magie, Cnd viaa pustiit rde-o raz de noroc. Am vzut faa ta pal de o bolnav beie, Buza ta nvineit de-al corupiei mucat, i-am zvrlit asupr-i, crudo, vlul alb de poezie i paloare-i tale raz inocenei ei I-am dat. i-am dat palidele raze ce-nconjoar cu magie Fruntea ngerului-geniu, ngerului-ideal, Din demon fcui o snt, dintr-un chicot, simfonie, Din ochirile-i murdare ochiu-aurorei matinal. Dar azi vlul cade, crudo! dismeit din visuri sece, Fruntea mea este trezit de al buzei tale-nghe S-i privesc la tine, demon, i amoru-mi stins i rece M nvat cum asupr-i eu s caut cu dispre!..........

Venus made of blood-warm marble, stony eyes which often flash, You embodied in a goddess woman's beauty, charm and dash: Arms as soft as is the thinking of an emperor born a poet; Woman's own divine attraction, still enticing as I saw it.
Raphael enwrapped in dreaming as below a starry sky - Just a spirit drunk with light-rays and with Springs that never die Saw you and thus dreamed of Eden - flowery and redolent, Saw you as a queen of heaven, 'mong the angels' merriment, And upon the empty canvas traced the God-Star of the Sea, With a star-adorned tiara, with her bland smile, maidenly, Pale complexion framed by gold rays - angel-like yet feminine: After woman have been modeled angels in the vaults serene.

Thus myself, lost in the darkness of a life bent on the lyre, Noticed you - a shallow woman, poor in soul and poor in fire And I wrought from you an angel, gentle as the magic day, When, upon a life laid barren, blandly smiles a lucky ray..

Now it's autumn...

Now it's autumn, leaves roam and scatter, Again the wind flings heavy drops against the glazing; And you're reading old letters, tattered and fading And retrace a whole life-time in just one hour. With sweet trifles you enjoy such time-wasting, You'd hate to be disturbed by a tap on the shutter; For when it's sleeting outside, it's so much better To dream by the fireside, sleepily nodding. So I stay in my chair, staring into the fire, Dreaming of old tales and a fairy queen's sighs; Around me the mist rises higher and higher; Suddenly the rustling of silk makes me rise, Steps so soft, barely touched by the old floor . . . Then with slender, icy hands you hide my eyes.

Afar i toamn
Afar-i toamn, frunz 'mpratiat, Iar vntul svrle 'n geamuri grele picuri; i tu citeti scrisori din roase plicuri i intr'un cias gndeti la viaa toat. Pierzndu-i timpul tu cu dulci nimicuri, N'ai vrea ca nimeni 'n ua ta s bat; Dar i mai bine-i, cnd afar-i sloat, S stai visnd la foc, de somn s picuri. i eu astfel m uit din jet de gnduri, Visez la basmul vechiu al zinei Dochii, n juru-mi ceaa crete rnduri-rnduri; De odat'aud fonirea unei rochii, Un moale pas abia atins de scnduri... Iar mni subiri i reci mi-acoper ochii.

Sleepy birds
All those sleepy birds Now tired from flight Hide among the leaves Good-night! Only the spring whispers When the wood sleeps silently; Even flowers in the gardens Sleep peacefully! Swans glide to their nest Sheltering among the reeds May angels guard your rest, Sweet dreams! Above a night of sorcery Comes the moon's graceful light, All is peace and harmony Good-night!

Somnoroase psrele
Somnoroase psrele Pe la cuiburi se adun, Se ascund n rmurele Noapte bun! Doar izvoarele suspin, Pe cnd codrul negru tace; Dorm i florile-n grdin n pace! Trece lebda pe ape ntre trestii s se culce Fie-i ngerii aproape, Somnul dulce! Peste-a nopii feerie Se ridic mndra lun, Totu-i vis i armonie Noapte bun!