The Birth of Modern Hungarian Poetry

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Abstract (max. 250 words):
The twenty-year period between the two world wars saw rapid urbanization and then economic depression; both generated great political tension and transformations, all reflected in the arts and letters of the time, from German expressionist paintings to Berthold Brecht, Thomas Mann, and other writers who tried to make sense of the dizzying changes around them. The artistic ferment had one unifying note: alienation from society on an unprecedented scale. Hungarian poetry was very much caught up in the mood of the times, and this will be illustrated here with lesser known but quite authentic examples, poems by Jenő Dsida, Lörinc Szabó, and Sandor Marai in this author’s translation.



Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
Paul Sohar drifted to the US as a young student refugee from Hungary but ended his higher education with a BA in philosophy and took a day job in a research lab while writing in every genre; poetry, prose, essays, reviews, translation. His bibliography includes eleven volumes of translations, including "Dancing Embers", his Kanyadi translations (Twisted Spoon Press, 2002). His own poetry can be found in “Homing Poems” (Iniquity Press, 2006) and “The Wayward Orchard”, a Wordrunner Prize winner (2011). Other awards: first prize in the Lincoln Poets Society contest (2012), second prize for prose in Rhode Island Writers Circle contest (2014) and a translation prize from Irodalmi Jelen in Budapest (2014). Latest translation volumes: "Silver Pirouettes" (TheWriteDeal 2012) and “In Contemporary Tense” ( more Kanyadi poems; Iniquity Press, 2013). Prose works: “True Tales of a Fictitious Spy” (Synergebooks, 2006) and a collection of three one-act plays from One Act Depot (Canada, 2014).His magazine credits include Agni, Gargoyle, Kenyon Review, Pedestal, Rattle, Salzburg Poetry Review, Seneca Review, etc.