Treny - Laments

Jan Kochanowski (1530-84) was the greatest Polish poet of his time and probably the most famous name in Polish literature before Adam Mickiewicz (1798 - 1855). His masterpiece is considered to be his Laments, a series of nineteen poems commemorating his daughter Ursula, who died in 1579 at the age of two and a half . In simple but eloquent language, Kochanowski describes his journey from savage grief to reconciliation, and even in translation his verse retains much of its power and convicti...