It’s almost unbelievable that it’s been 2 years since I’ve posted an update…progress has been slow due to other commitments, but I’m hoping to pick up this project once again and make some real progress.
This time of year, in the December days leading up to Christmas, can be crazy. I think this poem expresses what many of can feel when it seems like there’s so much to do…
Undated. Hitherto unpublished.
I’m assuming this was written in memory of my grandfather, Frank Pawlikowski, who was born in November, 1911 (possibly 1910), and died unexpectedly at age 44 (possibly 43) on 18 November 1954.
Howdy! It’s been awhile 😉
Who wants to take a crack at interpreting this?
There’s something satisfying about coming across a poem that was written this same day, 43 years ago, by my father. According to the Google, March 23, 1975 was a Sunday and Gerald Ford was president. I was 10 years old and don’t think I devoted a single thought, good or bad, to President Ford.
I confess that my Latin is lacking, so I also consulted Google for translation assistance. “Libera me, Domine” means “Deliver me, o Lord” and is a responsory sung at Roman Catholic (presumably Latin) Mass of the Dead.
On this cheery note:
Progress has been a little slow this week, but I’ve scanned through “k.” Â Going through the poem alphabetically gives me small glimpses into dad’s evolution as a poet over time, but I’d like to look at them in chronological order at some point to better understand.
Here is one of his later poems, A Sense of March, finished on this day in 1975. He used to type on yellow paper, occasionally.
My kids and I adore conspiracy theories. No, we don’t buy into (most of) them, but their sheer craziness and absurdity are things of delight. And every once in awhile, one of the theories rings true…
With that, I bring you “Fortunately the world is flat,” one of the earlier poems in the collection.
By way of update, I now have 150 poems scanned in. Starting to mull over the next steps – as themes unfold, I’m thinking that releasing as a series of volumes might be the way to go. That way we can easily add additional material (screenplays, musicals, short stories) as additional volumes. Â Thoughts?
I’ve finished C-E, with 98 poems scanned and ocr’d. My process is getting quicker, although Robbie’s thought of a way to scan/ocr in one step, which should make things go even more quickly.
Childhood Song (April 7, 1975) Â is one of my favorites. It was featured in Poetry and the Children at least once and I think I may have read it at one of the Poetry Days. It was one of the last poems he wrote.
We’ve scanned in all of the “A” and “B” poems in the main file bin and have started the “Cs.”  Some of these poems I have never read  while others I’ve seen and cherished. Here’s one I kind of recall but don’t know (or can’t quite remember) the background.
Robert Anthony Pawlikowski (1939-1975) was an American poet and artist residing in upstate New York with his wife and daughters at the time of his death. He left behind an amazing legacy of over 300 poems (many unpublished) and other writings.
My mother, Mary Ann Pawlikowski (1929-2018), had catalogued and organized Dad’s writings several times after his passing, but she was never up for the daunting and emotional task of publishing.
As the heirs to my parents’ estate, my sisters and I have decided to share and publish our father’s work. All proceeds will help to create and support the Robert and Mary Ann Pawlikowski Poetry Foundation, a soon-to-be nonprofit organization providing scholarships for study of the creative arts.
