COFFIN PORTRAITS - IWONA ŚWIERKULA

Immerse yourself in the extraordinary world of poetry, where the sacred meets the profane, and life is intertwined with death. Iwona Świerkula's poetry collection "Coffin Portraits" is a journey through reflections on transience, inspired by the exhibition of coffin portraits by Justyna Mańkowska. It is a poetic encounter with the last moments in the lives of outstanding creators such as Issa Kobayashi, Antoine de Saint Exupéry, Rabindranath Tagore, Fr. Jan Twardowski, Fr. Janusz Pasierb and Anna Kamieńska. Let these poems tame the most difficult moment of life.

• Inspiration from the exhibition of coffin portraits by Justyna Mańkowska
• Reflections on transience and the fragility of life
• Poetic encounter with outstanding creators
• Taming the most difficult moment of life
• Photos of coffin portraits by Justyna Mańkowska

The inspiration for this volume was the exhibition of coffin portraits by the artist Justyna Mańkowska, organized in the basements of the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel and St. Florian Martyr in Warsaw. I carried it within me for ten years until it became poetry. In the meantime, the idea arose to refer to the last moments in the lives of poets and writers. Among the selected creators are my soulmates: Issa Kobayashi, Antoine de Saint Exupry and Rabindranath Tagore, as well as those whom I had the opportunity to meet back in my school days: Fr. Jan Twardowski, Fr. Janusz Pasierb and Anna Kamieńska. I also added three pieces by my husband about his favorite writer J.R.R. Tolkien. In this way, a distinguished group gathered, which was portrayed in words.

The volume includes photos of coffin portraits by Justyna Mańkowska. Justyna described one of her exhibitions as a dress rehearsal - a kind of fitting for the most important moment of life, which always comes, according to human thinking, at the wrong time. May this reading allow you to tame this most difficult moment of life at least a little. It is an invitation to a deep reflection on the meaning of existence and the value of every moment. Discover the beauty in transience and let poetry become a guide on this extraordinary journey.

"Coffin Portraits" is not only a collection of poems, but also an artistic testimony of remembrance of those who have passed away, and an attempt to understand the inevitability of death. It is a book that encourages reflection on one's own life and relationships with loved ones. It is a reading that stays in the heart long after reading the last poem.

Edition: Format: 149x216 mm, Year: Year of publication: 2025, cover: paperback, Publisher: Mamiko, Number of pages: 0, Cover: paperback, Format: 149x216 mm