Pamięć jako źródło tożsamości w poezji Floriana Śmiei

Abstract

The article examines Florian Śmieja’s poetry, which is strongly connected with the experience of immigration, to expose the relationship between memory and identity. Memories in his literary works reflect deep cultural, social and political changes in Europe, the USA and Cuba; and yet they are strongly marked with autobiographical echoes. Śmieja is one of these writers who constantly go back to their “little homeland”. In his case, however, these memories do not prevent him from trying to become rooted in new places. What connects generically different textual records of his life (poetry, autobiography, literary miniatures, literary reportage) is the awareness of the passing of time and the feeling of responsibility for preserving and saving the moments of life in writing.