AustLit
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Notes
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English translation of the title: My Point of View : Australian Columns
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Edited and introduced by Bogumiła Żongołłowicz.
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The Polish word 'felietony' in the title derives from the French 'feuilleton' and refers to a particular genre of newspaper column which is humorous and includes personal observations.
Contents
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Przedmowa,
single work
essay
(p. 5-8)The editor's preface to her selection of writings by Polish Australian author Andrzej Gawroński, with biographical information about him.
- Untitled, single work biography (p. 9)
- Wniosek formalny, single work column satire (p. 11-13)
- Śmiech to zdrowie (ale nie dla wszystkich), single work column satire (p. 14-17)
- Przekręcona sprawiedliwość, single work column (p. 17-18)
-
Refleksje na temat krajowego radia i telewizji,
single work
column
satire
(p. 19-21)
This column reflects on the state use of mass media for propaganda purposes in the People's Republic of Poland in the 1980s. It discusses the appeal of the Australian soap opera 'Return to Eden' to Polish viewers, starved of access to any images of luxury in their own country.
-
Życiorysy,
single work
column
satire
(p. 22-24)
This column satirises the tendency of Polish immigrants in Australia to assume titles or rank they do not have, in the knowledge that the assumed identity cannot readily be disproven.
- Coś na temat gazu, single work column satire (p. 25-26)
-
Psia dolai"Był pies, którego bili w jego własnej budzie,",
single work
poetry
fable
(p. 27-28)
The poem tells of a dog who leaves his kennel to escape being beaten there, but still yearns for the kennel once he finds a better life elsewhere. He then hears tell of a 'solidarity movement' back home among the dogs still living in kennels which has led to a vote for freedom. He would like to take part in the voting and is confused by a local bulldog's insistence that he not take part. Finally, he dies on the border of the two countries. The author's note explains that the poem refers to the post-Solidarity movement elections in Poland in 1989.
-
O poezji i pamiętnikach czyli 'a ja cię wyrżnę',
single work
column
satire
(p. 29-31)
The column reflects on the passing of the (mainly female) fashion in Poland for asking others to write poems to be remembered by in your scrapbook or notebook. It mocks the sentimental style of this type of poem, and offers some humorous examples.
- Porady polityczne, single work column satire (p. 32-34)
- Komu ordery?, single work column satire (p. 35-37)
- Złodziej z Bagdadu, single work column satire (p. 38-40)
- Chmury na niebie, single work column (p. 41-42)
- Porządek dziennyi"Proszę o głos! Koniecznie! Ja w sprawie formalnej!", single work poetry satire (p. 43-44)
- Baranie wyboryi"Raz na farmie gdzieś przypadkiem", single work poetry fable satire (p. 45-46)
-
Gruszki na wierzbie,
single work
column
satire
(p. 47-48)
This column is a response to the broadcasting on the ABC of a 1990 BBC documentary about life in post-communist Poland by Witold Starecki, 'Pears on a Willow Tree'. The author is critical of the documentary and regrets the impression of Poles that it will give Australian viewers.
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Coś o przesyłkach do kraju,
single work
column
(p. 49-50)
The column refers to the lack of recognition among Poles in Poland of the financial support received from Poles living overseas, including Polish Australians.
-
Do sądu,
single work
satire
(p. 51-52)
The column satirises Polish Australians' litigiousness, deriving from an overinflated sense of personal honour.
-
Jak pan śmie,
single work
column
(p. 53-56)
The column laments the lack of a sense of humour among Poles and Polish Australians, and discusses some instances where the author's satire has landed him in hot water with readers. As an example it includes the poem, 'Londyńska jesień' (pp. 55-56), a satirical portrait of members of the Polish government-in-exile in London, first published in the London paper 'Tydzień Polski' (The Polish Week) on 1 August 1981.
