Poetry. Translated from the Romanian by Matthew Zapruder and Radu Ioanid. Introduction by Andrei Codrescu. Appearing in English for the first time, Eugen Jebeleanu's lyric testimonies to life under the Ceauşescu government are profoundly unsentimental, yet deeply moving expressions of collective and personal guilt. Trapped between his clear understanding of the government's corruption and brutality, and his own dilemmas as a public figure and reluctant favorite of Ceauşescu, the poet found an outlet for his disillusionment in the spare, allegorical poems of his later life. Both pensive and emotional, Jebeleanu's final collection provides an enlightening, searing, and necessary record of life under totalitarian conditions. "Eugen Jebeleanu remains an important poet, a poet with conscience, a poet whose voice deserves to be heard today and tomorrow"—Nina Cassian.
Reviews and Other Links
Annie Horanyi @ Three Percent
Jason Stumpf @ Harp & Altar