Jacek Kaczmarski – bard (?) i antynomie

Jacek Kaczmarski – the bard (?) and the antinomies Jacek Kaczmarski’s work is filled with antinomies, the presence of which fosters problems of interpretation and misreadings. The dualism of attitudes can be observed in many of the poet’s works.In this article, I will examine the worldview contradictions expressed in selected poems by Kaczmarski. The individual parts of the publication will be determined by the following questions: poet or singer? Bard or non-bard? Pole-patriot or anti-Pole? Jew or Catholic? The aim of considering these questions is to gain insight into the ideology of the singer and to treat it holistically, without making selective simplifications.It is important to understand the change in Kaczmarski’s understanding of himself as an artist over the years. Initially, he considered himself a singer. However, it was only as a mature artist that he began to consider himself a poet. Nevertheless, his creative status remains a matter of contention among scholars, with most describing him as either a poet or a singer.The answer to the second question appears to be relatively straightforward, as Kaczmarski repeatedly attempted to subvert the monument to the bard of Solidarity erected to him by particular audiences. However, he never cut himself off from his anti-communist activities. The myth of the bard caused the entire output of the author of Mury to be misinterpreted, and patriotic motifs were often sought, which, however, did not appear in many songs. Consequently, it was not uncommon to omit poems that referred critically to Polish culture and stereotypes, despite these forming a significant part of the oeuvre. The final issue raised concerns about Kaczmarski’s religiousness. His lifelong search for faith and God, which took place at the intersection of Catholicism and Judaism, has been described as an „eternal quest”.Jacek Kaczmarski was a poet who was misread, non-conformist and expressed antinomian attitudes. It is challenging to provide a definitive account of Kaczmarski’s identity and character. Consequently, the reception of his poetry is complex. However, it is essential to consider the antinomies that characterise his work holistically and to examine all of his output, including his diverse subject matter.