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| Summary
Now that DZIEJASŁOÚ has published its seventh issue it could be just the time to sum up what has been done so far. So on its back pages you will see a table of contents of all the previous issues, which represents the best of contemporary Belarusian literature in all genres. This table alone is enough to prove that our editorial board is committed to censorship-free literature, no matter what the authors’ political and literary loyalties may be.
The DZIEJASŁOÚ current issue is just another confirmation of our key principle. It opens with a story by the world-famous Vasil Bykaú, who passed away in summer… Written in 1998, An Afghani was not published in the state-censored media during the writer’s life-time, as it threw light on all too burning problems of today’s Belarusian society. By publishing An Afghani DZIEJASŁOÚ wishes to pay homage to the renowned writer.
Besides, the Prose section offers you the final part of The Red Gate by Viktar Karamazaú, Good Morning, Planet!, a novella by young Juhasia Kalada from Homiel, The Sword, a philosophical fantasy triptych by Lavon Juraha, and Inscriptions in Monet’s Notebook, a debut piece by Hleb Łabadzienka, who is doing his final year at Belarusian Lyceum.
In the Poetry section Belarus State Prize winner Hienadź Buraúkin is full of optimism in saying It’s Not Too Late Yet… In the meantime, Michaś Skobła and Eduard Akulin of DZIEJASŁOÚ editorial board bring forth their series of poems, A Bird Bred on an Islet that Is Let to Lethargy and The Floating Boat, respectively. Apart from that, you can also find hare I Lack My Fatherland by Bieraście-based poetess Jaryna Dašyna and Neither Myths, Nor History, Nor Happiness by Siarhiej Pryłucki, a university student from Bieraście, who makes his debut in DZIEJASŁOÚ.
This time the Translations section features Polish literature. Thus, the People’s Poet of Belarus Ryhor Baradulin has rendered The Roman Triptych by Pope John Paul the 2nd, Hanna Paziuk presents her version of Get Up, You’re Shot Dead! By a prominent contemporary Polish writer Volha Takarčuk, while Iryna Bahdanovič has translated The Rose of Love by poetess Marija Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska.
The section of Essays and Literary Criticism has a wide variety of contributions. The People’s Poet of Belarus Nił Hilevič recalls a few of Funny Episodes, which are given under the title My Noble Colleagues. Young philosopher and literary critic Juraś Barysievič ponders over the psychology of creativity in his essay Art and Madness. Hanna Kiślicyna in her article Welcome to the Con-temporary centres on the today’s Belarusian literature written by the younger generation. Iryna Klimkovič looks into The Devil’s Eye, as the bog was called, and analyses the folk lore and prejudices connected with it, as well as the foundations of Belarusian national character. To mark the 150th anniversary of Vincent van Gogh, Uładzimir Siúčykaú attempts to unveil Vincent’s Mystery, noticing some striking parallels in Belarusian art. Miur Farydovič reviews the latest productions by the Janka Kupała Theatre director Alaksandar Harcujeú, who has a reputation for his love of stunning experiments.
And last but not least, Źmicier Sierabrakoú comes up with his critique of The Anthology of Contemporary Belarusian Thought (see On the Death of Marxism and other Philosophical Tall Stories) and the new novel by the well-known Belarusian poet Uładzimir Niaklajeu, who presently has to reside in Finland. This final article is entitled A Fling with Tao.
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