Ruby Fredericks-Grzyb
on translating Zuzanna Ginczanka
The poem "Gramatyka" is from a book of poetry called O centaurach, (or Of/About/On Centaurs). O centaurach was Zuzanna Ginczanka's first and only book of poetry, published in 1936, between the two world wars.
For the tone, "Gramatyka" definitely feels a bit more formal, but also is casual at some times, and has a very modern feel. The language is very descriptive in terms of things and settings, but it’s extremely abstract. The beginning of the poem and the end of the poem are extremely similar and are counterparts for each other, as the same lines are repeated in different orders.
Some of the phrasing feels almost personal, as if the poet is speaking to the reader, encouraging them to write and to love. Mystical and religious undertones surface throughout the poem, too, especially in lines like “something, that which lasts and is, word condensed into your body” and “here is the red church, as it stands in Gothic for God.”
This poem is basically saying: words are incredible. They allow you to express yourself and say all of the things you want to say. Words build up our language and our culture, which affects how we interact with each other and the world.
about the author
Zuzanna Ginczanka was a Polish-Jewish poet of the interwar period. She was born in Kiev, Ukraine and was raised by her grandmother, who was said to be responsible for her poetic upbringing. Ginczanka began writing poems at the age of four and went on to publish her first and only book of poetry, O centaurach. She became nationally recognised for O centaurach by the time she was sixteen. Her first language was Russian, but she spoke Polish with her friends and chose to write her poems in Polish. From 1939–1942, Ginczanka lived in the city of Lviv in occupied Poland where, at the age of 22, she married the Polish-Jewish art historian Michał Weinzieher. With the Nazi invasion of Poland, the situation of the Jewish population changed dramatically for the worse. In September 1942, Ginczanka's husband decided to leave Lviv in hopes of escaping the internment. Together, they moved to Kraków where, after lots of hiding from and escaping from the Nazis, Ginczanka was arrested and killed just before the end of WWII.
about the translator
Ruby Fredericks-Gzryb is a high school sophomore at Meridian Academy in Boston, MA. She is passionate about theater and enjoys the relationship between acting and reciting poetry. Fredericks-Gzryb has been glad to connect with her Polish heritage through this project and is currently preparing to compete in the "Poetry Out Loud" state semi-finals. In her free time, she plays piano and spends time with her dog, Scooby.
