Charon's Ferry: Fifty Poems

by Gyula Illyés, Bruce Berlind (Translator)

At the heart of this collection are meditations on cultural values, Hungarian history, and the legacy of suppression and survival. Included in this collection is one of the author's most outspoken poems, "One Sentence on Tyranny," a haunting and relentless testimony to the entire Eastern European experience—a backhanded homage to all the oppressions and fears of daily life.

Genres: Poetry

75 pages, Paperback

First published December 27, 2000

About the author

Gyula Illyés was a Hungarian poet and novelist. Born into a humble family of farm servants (his father was a mechanic of agricultural machines) on one of the big estates of Transdanubia, he was educated in Budapest and in Paris. He was one of the so called népi ("from the people") writers, named so because they aimed to show - propelled by strong sociological interest and left-wing convictions - the disadvantageous conditions of their native land.

Reviews

[Paddyspub · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good some meh. I think a lot of this either gets lost in translation or you have to be Hungarian to truly appreciate.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

The three stars are an average; there are several wonderful poems here, particularly in the first half, where the translator offers gifted words and phrases that hopefully reflect Illyes’s originals. The poems from the last years of his life are, shall we say, challenging and most are so hermetic that they leave a reader little to go on. Say 4.5 for the first half and 2 for the second half.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m very glad I read these poems. The Hungarian poet uses language so very well in these very brief poems. In a few words the poet grabs you, turns you around, and opens your eyes to the world in new perspectives. It was great. He caused me to laugh often - both in wonder and in delight. Terrific.