Lucian Blaga (1895-1961)
A national figure in Romania, he is barely known to the outside world because of the unfortunate circumstances surrounding his career. (the period between the two world wars)
Trained in both Eastern Orthodox theology and classical philosophy, he developed a “speculative” philosophy that includes books on epistemology, metaphysics, aesthetics, philosophy of culture, philosophical anthropology, philosophy of history, philosophy of science, and philosophy of religion.
At the heart of his philosophical publications are four trilogies that constitute a systematic philosophy, a feat that has rarely been attempted since Hegel. He also published books of poetry and theater, plus one novel.
Poems of Light (Poemele luminii), 1919
TO MY READERS
From The Great Passage – 1924
(Rendered in English by Constantin Roman)
” This is my Home.
Beyond it is the sun and the garden with beehives.
You are passing bye, stranger,
Glancing through the fence, waiting for me to speak:
But where shall I start?
Believe me, believe me one could speak endlessly about anything:
About Fate and the well-wishing Snake
About Archangels ploughing the Garden of Man
About the Sky which we hope to reach,
About Hatred and Fall, Sadness and Crucifixion…
But above all, about the Great Passage.
Yet words are nothing else than the tears
Of those who wished so much to cry, but couldn’t.
Bitter, so bitter are all words
And therefore
Let me walk in silence amongst you
Cross your way
Eyes-closed.”
‘Poetry heals the wounds inflicted by reason’