Initially Tuwim's poetry - like that of other Skamandrites - was a decisive break-up with the turn-of-the-century's mannerism and decadent language. It also was an expression of vitality, optimism, and praise of urban life; introduction of everyday life in a city, with its triviality and vulgarism, to poetry. In his poems Tuwim often used 'regular' language as well as dialogue. Characteristic for this period are collections Czyhanie na Boga [Lurking for God] (1918), Sokrates tanczacy [Dancing Socrates] (1920), Siódma jesien[The Seventh Autumn] (1922), and Wierszy tom czwarty [Poems. the Volume Four] (1923).
In his later collections of poetry;Slowa we krwi [Words Bathed in Blood] (1926), Rzecz Czarnoleska [The Czarnolas Matter] (1929), Biblia cyganska [Gipsy Bible] (1933) and Tresc gorejaca [Burning Content] (1933), Tuwim becomes considerably restless and bitter, he writes with fervor and violence of the emptiness of urban existence. He also tends to draw more from traditions of romantism and classicism, at the same time perfecting form and style, becoming virtuoso of words and language.
Since the very beginning and troughout his entire creative life Tuwim was satirically inclined. He supplied sketches and monologues to numerous cabarets. In his poetry and as a columnist he scoffed obscurantism and bureaucracy as well as militaristic and nationalistic trends in politics. Burlesque Bal w Operze [Ball in the Opera House], written in 1936, is considered his best satiric poem.
In 1918 Tuwim co-founded cabaret Picador and cooperated as writer or artistic director with many other cabarets like Czarny Kot [Black Cat] 1917-1919, Qui pro Quo1919-1932, Banda [Gang] and Stara Banda [Old Gang] 1932-1935 and finally Cyrulik Warszawski [Barber of Warsaw] 1935-1939. Since 1924 Tuwim was staff writer of "Wiadomosci Literackie" [Literary News] where he wrote weekly column Camera Obscura as well as for satiric magazines: Cyrulik Warszawski [Barber of Warsaw] and Szpilki [Pins].
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At a party, sometime during 1930-s, Adolf Nowaczynski, writer and columnist, known for his sharp tongue as well as his antisemitic views (felt obliged by his given name, perhaps?) proposes following toast: - There would be no Polish literature without Mickiewicz, there would be no Mickiewicz without Pan Tadeusz (epic poem about Polish gentry in Lithuania during Napoleonic war) and there would be no Pan Tadeusz without Jankiel (Jewish innkeeper and musician in the poem) - hurray for Tuwim! To which Tuwim replies: - There would be no Polish literature without Mickiewicz, there would be no Mickiewicz without Pan Tadeusz, nor Pan Tadeusz without Jankiel. And there would be no Jankiel without his dulcimer - hurray for Nowaczynski! For benefit of those not familiar with Polish idioms: cymbał (singular of cymbały=dulcimer) is used to describe a person talking nonsenses and, generally, having difficulties thinking. |
In 1939, at the beginning of WWII and nazi occupation of Poland, Tuwim emigrates first through Romania to France then, after France's capitulation, to Portugal, Brasil, and finally to USA, where he settled in 1942. During that time he wrote "Kwiaty Polskie" [Polish Flowers], outstanding epic poem in which he remembers with nostalgy his early childhood in Lodz.
Returned to Poland after the war, in 1946.
Tuwim's other works include the collection of poems for children Locomotive (1938, tr. 1940) and brilliant translations of Pushkin and other Russian poets.