SOURCE: "A Song under All Circumstances," in Parnassus: Poetry in Review, Vol. 14, No. 1, 1987, pp. 209-27.

Holub is a Czechoslovakian scientist who writes poetry and prose. In the essay below, he praises Seifert's poetry and describes him as "a poet who gave others strength."

"I believe, or, to be perfectly frank, I just assume that what is normally called poetry is one great mystery of which the poet, and indeed every single poet, unveils a greater or a lesser part. Then he puts down his pen or covers his typewriter, turns pensive and towards nightfall he dies. As for instance [Vitězslav] Nezval."

As for instance [Jaroslav] Seifert.

He'd written this sentence in his memoirs, and then he kept his word, in that night from January 9-10, 1986: it is said that he left a half-written poem on his beside table.

If it were possible to classify poetry, as certain...