Carpe Diem #986 Poland

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Welcome at the penultimate "stage" of our Europe Ginko. It was really a joy to create this month and we have seen a lot of Europe, virtually. Today we will visit Poland. Poland, once part of the Warsaw Pact, became a member of the EU in 2004. Let me give you a brief overview of Poland's history.

The establishment of a Polish state can be traced back to 966, when Mieszko I, ruler of a territory roughly coextensive with that of present-day Poland, converted to Christianity. The Kingdom of Poland was founded in 1025, and in 1569 it cemented a longstanding political association with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania by signing the Union of Lublin. This union formed the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, one of the largest and most populous countries of 16th and 17th-century Europe. The Commonwealth ceased to exist in the years 1772–1795, when its territory was partitioned among Prussia, the Russian Empire, and Austria. Poland regained its independence (as the Second Polish Republic) at the end of World War I, in 1918.

flag of Poland

In September 1939, World War II started with the invasions of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union (as part of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact). More than six million Polish citizens died in the war. In 1944, a Soviet-backed Polish Committee of National Liberation was formed and, after a falsified referendum in 1947, it took control of the country and Poland became a satellite state of the Soviet Union, as People's Republic of Poland. During the Revolutions of 1989 Poland's Communist government was overthrown and Poland adopted a new constitution establishing itself as a democracy. Despite the large number of casualties and destruction the country experienced during World War II, Poland managed to preserve much of its cultural wealth. (Source: Wikipedia)

I once had a colleague from Poland and she told me that she missed her country, of course. As I asked her why she missed her country, she told me that she not only missed her family, but also the beautiful nature of Poland. As a haiku poet that triggered my attention and I think she is right ...

Tatra Mountains Poland

Look at these gorgeous mountains ... awesome don't you think so too?

reflections
mountains with their top down
clear blue water

© Chèvrefeuille

Or what d you think of this wonderful reserve, Bolechowicki Gully Nature Reserve:

Bolechowicki Gully Nature Reserve

rocks rising
to the clear blue sky
a skylark's song

© Chèvrefeuille

It's not all mountains and hills of course in Poland, but as I was doing research for this episode I ran into a wonderful image of a Polish winery on a hill-side. I didn't know that Poland had a winery culture, but the wineries are really beautiful.

Polish winery

in front of the fireplace
dreaming of wonderful Poland
with the one I love

© Chèvrefeuille

I really didn't know about Polish wine. I thought the Polish were of Vodka and Beer, but in the last few decades the Polish have discovered wine and the producing of it.
Next to the wine ... will there be haiku poets in Poland?

Poland has its own International Haiku contest, so there will be haiku poets living there I think. I found a few examples of haiku by Polish haiku poets:

Between one raindrop
And just the following one—
It is not raining

© Alina Kizierowska 

fourth anniversary—

only the wind sweeps the leaves
from the grave

© Robert Kania

Indian Summer

rendezvous—
on my lips
Indian summer

© Marta Chociłowska

wind chill
among trembling leaves

more and more sky

© Maria Kowal-Tomczak

All haiku examples from Poland retrieved from HERE:

Poland ... a fantastic country ... worth visiting once ....

This episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until July 2nd at noon (CET). I will try to publish our new episode, a new Tokubetsudesu, later on. For now ... have fun!

!!! I couldn't retrieve a possibility to come in contact with the above haiku poets, but as always I have credited them all !!!