06/09/2025 | National Reading of Jan Kochanowski in Rochdale | Poetry that connects generations

On Saturday afternoon, at Studio Grushka in Rochdale, a special event took place, the National Reading of the poetry of Jan Kochanowski, organised by Wyspa TV. The gathering formed part of the nationwide and Polish diaspora initiative of reading the classics together, which since 2012 has been held under the Honorary Patronage of the Presidential Couple.

Although participants met far from their homeland, the spirit of Polishness and community was present in every spoken word. This year’s edition reminded us that literature lives most fully when it becomes a shared experience, when it is read aloud and reaches listeners’ hearts.

The evening was opened by the editor-in-chief of Wyspa TV, Maria Anna Furman, who welcomed those present with the words: “Abroad, and yet at home in our native language.” On this day, three books of one heart were opened: Songs, Epigrams and Laments by Jan Kochanowski.

Jan Kochanowski, educated in Padua, fluent in foreign languages and at the same time faithful to the Polish language, became a symbol of Renaissance humanism. His work, though rooted in the 16th century, continues to inspire reflection on life, community and the passage of time.

The meeting began with the motto:

“Do not abandon hope, whatever may befall.”

Representatives of various circles joined the group of readers. Each of them chose a piece that resonated with their experience and sensitivity in a personal way.

The Songs displayed Renaissance harmony, stoic restraint and responsibility for the community.

The Epigrams amused with lightness, brilliance and sharp irony, becoming miniatures of everyday life.

The Laments, the saddest and at the same time the most moving, revealed to participants the drama of a father’s mourning, turning it into a universal story of loss and hope.

Each fragment of poetry was preceded by a brief literary commentary that helped place the piece in a broader historical and philosophical context. Thanks to this, the audience could not only hear the texts but also better understand their message.

The evening was a kind of journey from the praise of virtue in the Songs, through the playful distance of the Epigrams, to the mournful lament of the Laments. This literary path reminded us that the entirety of human experience is reflected in Kochanowski’s work: joy, irony, hope, but also pain and the search for consolation.

A particularly moving moment was the collective reading of the laments dedicated to little Urszula. In the readers’ voices, one could hear not only poetry from centuries past, but also the personal memory and experience of contemporary people who, regardless of era and place, know what loss is.

The meeting ended with words of gratitude addressed to the hosts, Ms Grażyna and Mr Robert, the owners of Studio Grushka, and to all the participants who, with their voices, co-created this event.

“Let us keep in mind that the word can build community, and abroad it often becomes our home, which we carry in our voice,” summed up Maria Anna Furman.

The National Reading in Rochdale became not only a tribute to Kochanowski, but also a manifestation of the power of language and culture that unite Poles around the world.

This gathering showed that even in emigration, one can be “at home” in the sounds of the native tongue, in the rhythm of verses, in the closeness of community.

Author/Editor Maria Anna Furman