SOURCE: An introduction to An Umbrella from Piccadilly, London Magazine Editions, 1983, pp. 1-5.

In the following essay, Osers briefly summarizes Seifert's literary career and life.

In Czechoslovakia, as in most of Eastern Europe, the writer—and, more particularly, the poet—is a public figure. People seem to care about their poets' views and ideas; they want to know where their poets stand on the great issues of the day. Even people who do not normally read poetry will be familiar with the major names. Whenever a new volume of poetry is published—and news about publication and distribution dates invariably seems to leak out—queues will form outside bookshops even before their doors open, and a couple of days later the new volume will have virtually disappeared from the shelves.

This position of the writer—not just in public esteem but in the hearts of the people—has...