Poetry in the blood

By Jeremy Moczarski

Poetry was a recurring theme in the Kostrovitsky Family, the Family of The Cross, of which the Belarusian social and political activist, poet and artist who used the pseudonym Karuś Kahaniets ('The Lamp') (Kazimir-Rafal Kostrovitsky) and Guillaume Apollinaire (Wilhelm Albert Wlodzimierz Apolinary Kostrovitsky), poet, art critic and forefather of Surrealism were notable members. This anthology of poems by Kahaniets and other Kostrovitsky relatives, with biographical material, evokes powerful images of the times in which they lived.

For three months, from 10 September 2020, The State Museum of the History of Belarusian Literature in Minsk held 'The Kostrovitsky Literary and Documentary Exposition', to coincide with the 140th anniversary of the birth of Guillaume Apollinaire.

The National Historical Archives of Belarus, The Belarusian State Archives-Museum of Literature and Art, The National Library of Belarus, The Republican Centre of National Culture and The Predmestie Gallery took part in mounting this exposition. Its instigator was Uladzimir Szczasny, Chairman of UNESCO for Belarus, Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian newspaper Nasa Niva ('Our Field'), founded in 1906. The author's great-uncle, Karuś Kahaniets, was among the first contributors to Nasa Niva, a member of the Belarusian Committee in March 1917 and an organiser of the All-Belarusian Congress held in Minsk in December 1917 that led to the declaration of The Belarusian People's Republic. This Congress was chaired by his brother, Dr. Ambroźy Kostrovitsky, whose eldest son, the freedom fighter Samuel Kostrovitsky, was the author's grandfather. The first editions of this book and the titles 'A Man of Power and a Lioness of The Cross' and 'The Flight of Eagles' by this author were featured in this exposition.

Copies of this work were requested by The Agency for Legal Deposit Libraries for distribution to The National Library of Scotland, The Bodleian Library, National Library of Wales, Cambridge University Library and The Library of Trinity College, Dublin.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0BNFR6PLH
• ISBN13: 9798365869288
• Release Date: November 2022
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 126 Pages
• Weight: 0.39 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"