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Czesław Miłosz said: “If you discuss political things, your entire soul should be in them.” Miłosz was referring to a book by a central European compatriot, a political treatise he happened to be reviewing at the time. Miłosz hated the book. Miłosz would do things like that – he would use the word hate. In this case he hated the book because it dealt with politics bloodlessly – and Miłosz had no respect for it. “If you discuss political things your entire soul should be in them.” SOLITUDE, SOLIDARITY, REVOLUTION.
Czesław Miłosz: A centenary celebration was the title of the talk – it took place at Trinity College Dublin. Naturally, I was intoxicated. It was a good talk, and the panel included another Polish writer, Adam Zagajewski. For Zagajewski, Miłosz was controlled by two belief systems: on the one hand, he subscribed to a leftist perspective on social issues; on the other, he was intensely religious. Heaney was also on the panel, and he spoke with customary class. For Heaney, Miłosz’s writing was a way to gain power over the negative forces in his life. Controlling and purifying darkness was important for Miłosz. He hated nihilism.
A few weeks after I attended the Miłosz talk I travelled to Krakow (where Miłosz died), and Warsaw (the big city where Miłosz cut his teeth), and finally Berlin (which has nothing to do with Miłosz but is a fun place). I went with my girlfriend, Vanora. Vanora’s a teacher and the school year was over. I had quit my job the week before, so my work year was also over.
