„Ogarki z ogniska rzeczywistości”. About the poetry of Miloš Doležal

Abstract

The article is an attempt at a synthetic presentation of Miloš Doležal’s poetic work – from the moment of his debut (collection of poems Podivice, 1995) to the present day (the forthcoming poetry book Česká litanie). The author attempts to describe the main thematic “lines” of this poetry, paying attention to the existential and historical sources of inspiration. The main thesis of the article is that Doležal is primarily interested in that sphere we are used to calling reality – everything verifiable, touchable, visible and real, especially the real stories of people living in the immediate area (Doležal‘s native Czech-Moravian Highlands), which are presented in these poems. Twentieth-century history and the impact it has on the fate of individuals (with the central figure of Father Josef Toufar, who was murdered by the Communist services), is also an object of reflection for the poet. The last, but not least, component of Doležal’s work seems to be his own experience, the fate of his ancestors and immediate family members. The author of the article attempts to answer the question of how life becomes literature - how what is lived and experienced is transformed into poetry by one of the most important contemporary Czech authors.