Spotlight On Writers
Magdalena Podobińska
- Where, do you hail from?
I hail from away – from Poland. As you may know, it is a beautiful country in eastern Europe. But to really answer your question I must acknowledge that I probably hail even from further (or isn’t it closer?) From Far Far Away –that is the world of baldest dreams and deepest thoughts, misty memories and high hopes, the world of words.
That’s why I am here.
- What is the greatest thing about the place you call home?
The place I call home is still my hometown, Pszczyna, the Pearl of Silesia, as they call it. Though I don’t live there any more, I visit it quite often and it always feels like if I haven’t moved at all. Why is it so special? Well, it’s a charming town with an alluring, gorgeous castle and magnificent park with soothing water, all those bridges, birds, squirrels, peacocks, swans, even wild animals like bison (not at large ;)) , trees and bushes, an old historic tea house on the island… It is the place where I spent so much time in my youth strolling or sitting on the stone steps leading to the splendid palace and reading books, listening to music or just being lost in thoughts.
I think I could say that my home is my castle 😉
And on the other hand the place I also call home is where I’m living now in a totally different part of Poland, with my husband and children. Home is love and warmth, the smell of everyday life.
- What turns you on creatively?
Most of all music. I once said that I could not live without music or I could, but I wouldn’t like to. My life is on the right track as long it is a soundtrack. And to open my heart, one needs treble clef.
Undoubtedly nature turns me on as well. Not only creatively. It keeps me in a state of daze, it keeps me in awe, keeps me breathless, yet makes me breathe!
And love. Love turns me on in myriad ways.
- What is your favorite word, and can you use it in a poetic sentence?
It depends on a language. In Polish ‘rzęsy’ (eyelashes). I flatter them in my verses every now and then.
In Russian (I remember a bit of it from primary school) it’s ‘всегда‘ (always)
Пусть всегда будет солнце,
Пусть всегда будет небо,
Пусть всегда будет мама,
Пусть всегда буду я.
(Лев Ошанин)
This song from my childhood literally tears me apart.
In Italian ‘semplicemente‘ (simply)
A te che sei, semplicemente sei sostanza dei giorni miei…
(Lorenzo Jovanotti)
Another song, another tearjerker.
In German ‘täglich’ (daily)
Ich träume täglich
Es ist sehr möglich
das ich dich liebe
trotz allem
über alles
(me)
In French ‘un oiseau’ (bird)
un petit oiseau vert
vole tout seul dans le ciel
est-ce que tu le vois?
c’est mon rêve
(me)
In English ‘butterflies’ – they often fly between my words carrying different meanings. Yet let me quote Jimi Hendrix here, not me:
Well she’s walking through the clouds
With a circus mind
That’s running wild
Butterflies and zebras and moonbeams
And fairly tales,
That’s all she ever thinks about
Riding the wind
These words have been with me for years. I absolutely love them and I guess they kind of define me quite well.
I like ‘Ladybird’s too, because there is something noble about them.
That kind of love doesn’t happen much
And it doesn’t happen for free
Ladybirds on the celling
(me)
Also, some names are my favorite words. They melt my heart. But let’s keep them secret.
This is not my ultimate choice. These are the first words that came to my mind actually. And funny thing is most of them have wings …
Yet if I were to think deeper I would come up with other words probably. And definitely with more words, simply because I like words, I really do.
I like playing with words.
Sometimes I win 😉
- What is your pet peeve?
People talking behind others’ backs.
People complaining.
People waiting only for Fridays and weekends.
Me sometimes being like these people.
- What defines Magdalena Podobińska?
At present my family- mostly the closest circle: my daughter, son, husband. And me, myself of course.
I am under partitions
a daughter
a son
a husband
I do not want independence
(my little poem translated into English by Caveman and displayed on the Wall in Bracka Street in Cracow, City of Literature)
But also some kind of naiveté. And craziness.
It is like in that song by Seal ‘But we’re never gonna survive unless, we get a little crazy..’
And also:
I go through life collecting words
Today I put into my basket
a turquoise dress
a foggy lake
and Unicorn
(also translated by Caveman displayed in Cracow)
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