Centre for Romanian Studies

Editor’s Note:

We have not heard from Mr. Paunescu for some time, at least not since his memorable appearance in the United Kingdom, as guest of the International Poetry Festival “Stanza’s”, at the University of St. Andrew’s, Scotland, A.D. 2000.
As our readers will recall, this Festival was organised by the talented Scottish bard, Dr. Gavin Bowd – who introduced Adrian Paunescu as “Romania’s greatest poet and dissident too”. We are very sad to hear since of Dr. Bowd’s severing his links with the very fastival he helped create and would like to reassure him that by his unexpected departure Romania’s poetry lost a staunch supporter.

Still, we feel particularly privileged to be able to compensate for this loss and offer our Anglo-Saxon readership two of the latest ditties written by Mr. Paunescu.
We would also like to take this opportunity in expressing our grateful thanks to Senator Adrian Paunescu for sending us his latest, if somewhat nostalgic, contribution in memory of our Dearly Departed Leader – President Nicoale Ceausescu (1918-1989).
At the same time we would also wish to reassure Mr. Paunescu of our humblest and best efforts in conveying into English, as accurately as we could, the Poet’s inimitable style.
Thank you Your Excellency!

“Nicolae Ceausescu – In Memoriam”
by Adrian Paunescu
(translated from Romanian by Constantin Roman)

Like all the moral dwarfs, I praised in vain
The ever greatest Clown – The Leader, born-again.
And bending half-way down, I kissed his ass…
May long you live, Beloved Nicholas!

Compare this with the original Romanian verse below:

Romanian version I:

Ca toti Boierii Mintii intr-un cor
Te-am laudat, Iubit Conducator
Si-ncovaindu-ma adanc din sale
Te-am lins profund, Marite Nicolae.

Further Editor’s Note:
We are also grateful to our reader, Mr. Dawson, for providing us with another example of Paunesciana, this time in the original vernacular of the Poet’s own:

“Iubit Conducator” de Adrian Paunescu
(citat de Dawson, 29 Nov. 2003
in: http://www.totalsport.ro/forum/showthread.php?t=5309)

Godac fiind, prin jir cutreieram,
Si grohaiam ades despre popor,
Si dosul tau cu stima il pupam,
Sa ne traiesti, Iubit Conducator.

ADDENDUM: – 23 Years ago commemorative poetry by Adrian Paunescu:

“ROMANIA’S FUTURE (VIITORUL ROMANIEI)”
………………………………………….. …………………………………………..

Translated from Romanian by:
Constantin Roman 2000.
Note:
Adrian Paunescu, (b. 1943) – Ceausescu’s Official Poet, Nationalist Party Leader, Senator – “Viitorul Romaniei” publ. 1983
………………………………………….. ………………………………………….. ………………………

“We now live a new life, which was dreamt of and fought for
By our forbears, our national revolutionaries Tudor, Balcescu
Horia and Iancu, who were once upon a time
The martyrs of our sufferings and of Romania?s fate

Today their heir is this wise old man, brought to us in Spring time
To be a hero amongst heroes. As Communist Party Leader,
It stands to reason that he is also the country?s President.
And that is why, through the very person of Ceausescu we found our own newborn ethos.

We too are bearing the burden of past wars through our dead
As we paid the price of life to enjoy our earthly goods
Therefor it follows that the source of sunshine does not come from Abroad, but that we have our very own Sun emerging from our capital city Bucharest.

It is Ceausescu himself that introduced honour within the Communist Party and the Country
He rediscovered our history unadulterated
To make us reach for the future in our dreams, as well as
In our daily deeds, full of new meanings.

That is why we always said and are still saying and will always say
Every minute of our lives, be it good or bad
That the Communist Party is strong, as it is nurtured by the whole Nation
As the Party represents the People at atomic level.

And for this very reason as Leader who embodies the whole People
He will, of course feel their desires and all their wishes
And that is why the Communist Party opens new vistas,
A future made of enthusiasm and difficulties which are overcome.

We can?t accept that our life should be broken
As we make history day in, day out, the way it was prescribed
By the 9th Congress of the Communist Party
Whose philosophy is to believe in the People as the ultimate solution

We were disinherited of our history to forget our forbears
But he inspired us with a new sense of History
As he explained to us that our Homeland cannot be reduced
Just to red flags, but above all flies our national three-coloured flag

That allowed our heroes to come home from their legendary Existence, to enjoin the
History this very day of the Party Congress
From old deeds to contemporary deeds
Inspired by the strength of Prince Michael the Brave.

But the future is ours, let it be known by all
Our future will get better and better, by the day.
O, eternal Romania, you will shine under the sun,
Always open as a hand, united as a fist.

New cities will be built and villages will be born
Tomorrow the Carpathians will be our foundations
Of ever new epochs and new civilizations
And the folk who live here will be proud as these mountains

But the most important and most beautiful aims
For which we struggled so much
Is the very man who is at home in his own country
And who is never lonely where ever he may be,

Because this intimacy he experiences with the greater Romania
Is no other than the expression of Communism which we are building
A system which does not gage us according to our possessions
But for what we are and we had achieved

This difficult tasks exacts great sacrifices
As we build our country from the foundation to the roof
Because no solution is ever found with a simple ?veni, vidi vici?
And as imported solutions don?t exist

And just as no dogma will keep us warm in winter
We shall bring to reality the great ideals
As we build the future together, during our best years
Which are equally difficult years.

Notwithstanding all that the centre of our struggle remains
The Communist Party who knows the problem and has the solution
The Party is the architect of all our future
The perfect judge of our past and present

That is the stuff of which Romania?s hero is made
A true heroes through every fibre
The first recipient of the Truth
Who knows how to confront all Evil

Above all our heroes can separate the grain from the chaff
And is sensitive to the pains of the lowly
Conscious of the responsibility that is bestowed upon him
He knows how to act in the best interests of the country

How many fashionable ideas remain now moth eaten
Having lived a short glory, soon to be extinguished
As the People paid the price of the absurd egos
Exacted in blood and tears for an absurd whim

As we follow our Hero, we overcome disasters
As we follow our Hero we shall be able to
Make everything to the measure of our enthusiasm
You People with a noble spirit, People with a pure soul. ”

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Read more about  Elena Ceausescu, about her Sycophantic Poets, about Dictators and their Victims in:

Blouse Roumaine – The Unsung Voices of Romanian Women

(Centre for Romanian Studies, London, 2009)

(1,100 pages, 160 Biographies, 600 quotations)

http://www.blouseroumaine.com/buy-the-book/index.html