List of Polish-language poets facts for kids

Poland has a rich history of amazing writers, especially poets! These talented people used the Polish language to share their thoughts, feelings, and stories through beautiful poems. Their words have helped shape Polish culture and history, and many of their works are still loved and studied today.

Some Polish poets are so famous that their work is known all over the world. They wrote about everything from love and nature to freedom and the struggles of their country. Let's explore some of these incredible poets who have left a lasting mark on Polish literature.

Famous Polish Poets

Many poets have contributed to Poland's literary heritage. Here are some of the most well-known, including those recognized as national heroes and Nobel Prize winners.

The Three Bards

In the 1800s, during a difficult time for Poland, three poets became incredibly important. They were called the Three Bards because their poems spoke to the heart of the Polish people, inspiring hope and a sense of national identity. They are considered the national poets of Polish Romantic literature.

• Adam Mickiewicz (1798–1855): He is seen as Poland's national poet and a major figure in European Romanticism. His poems often explored themes of patriotism and freedom.
• Zygmunt Krasiński (1812–1859): Another one of the Three Bards, his works often dealt with philosophical and historical themes.
• Juliusz Słowacki (1809–1849): Also one of the Three Bards, he wrote dramatic plays and epic poems that are still celebrated.

Nobel Prize Winners

Poland has been home to five writers who won the prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature. Two of these incredible authors were poets:

• Czesław Miłosz (1911–2004): He won the Nobel Prize in Literature for his powerful and insightful poetry.
• Wisława Szymborska (1923–2012): She also received the Nobel Prize in Literature for her unique and thoughtful poems, which often explored everyday life with deep wisdom.

Other Important Poets

Beyond the Bards and Nobel laureates, many other poets have made huge contributions to Polish poetry.

• Jan Kochanowski (1530–1584): He is often called the "father of Polish poetry." He was one of the greatest Slavic poets before the 19th century.
• Józef Wybicki (1747–1822): He wrote the words to the National Anthem of Poland, a song that is still sung with pride today.
• Zbigniew Herbert (1924–1998): He is one of the most famous and translated Polish writers from after World War II.

Polish Poets by Last Name

Here is a list of many other talented poets who have written in Polish, organized alphabetically.

A

• Franciszka Arnsztajnowa (1865–1942)
• Adam Asnyk (1838–1897)

B

• Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński (1921–1944)
• Józef Baka (1707–1780)
• Edward Balcerzan (born 1937)
• Stanisław Baliński (1899–1984)
• Marcin Baran (born 1963)
• Stanisław Barańczak (1946–2014), a Nike Award winner
• Miron Białoszewski (1922–1983)
• Zbigniew Bieńkowski (1913–1994)
• Biernat of Lublin (1465?– after 1529)
• Tadeusz Borowski (1922–1951)
• Tadeusz Boy-Żeleński (1874–1941)
• Władysław Broniewski (1897–1962)
• Jerzy Braun (1907–1975)
• Jan Brzechwa (1898–1966)
• Teodor Bujnicki (1904–1944)
• Andrzej Bursa (1932–1957)

C

• Józef Czechowicz (1903–1939)
• Tytus Czyżewski (1880–1945)

D

• Jacek Dehnel (born 1980)
• Elżbieta Drużbacka (1695 or 1698 – 1765)

E

• Leszek Engelking (1955–2022)

F

• Jerzy Ficowski, (1924–2006)
• Aleksander Fredro (1793–1876)

G

• Tadeusz Gajcy (1922–1944)
• Konstanty Ildefons Gałczyński (1905–1953)
• Stefan Garczyński (1690–1756)
• Cezary Geroń (1960–1998)
• Zuzanna Ginczanka (1917–1944)
• Cyprian Godebski (1765–1809)
• Stanisław Grochowiak (1934–1976)
• Wioletta Grzegorzewska (born 1974)

H

• Julia Hartwig (1921–2017)
• Marian Hemar (1901–1972)

I

• Maria Ilnicka (1825 or 1827–1897)
• Wacław Iwaniuk (1912–2001)
• Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz (1894–1980)

J

• Klemens Janicki (1516–1543)
• Bruno Jasieński (1901–1938)
• Mieczysław Jastrun (1903–1983)

K

• Anna Kamieńska (1920–1986)
• Franciszek Karpiński (1741–1825)
• Jan Kasprowicz (1860–1936)
• Maria Kazecka (1880–1938)
• Andrzej Tadeusz Kijowski (born 1954)
• Franciszek Dionizy Kniaźnin (1750–1807)
• Halina Konopacka (1900–1989)
• Maria Konopnicka (1842–1910)
• Stanisław Korab-Brzozowski, (1876–1901)
• Julian Kornhauser (born 1946)
• Apollo Korzeniowski (1820–1869), father of the famous Polish-British novelist Joseph Conrad
• Urszula Kozioł (born 1931)
• Ignacy Krasicki (1735–1801)
• Katarzyna Krenz (born 1953)
• Józef Krupiński (1930–1998)
• Ryszard Krynicki (born 1943)
• Andrzej Krzycki (1482–1537)
• Paweł Kubisz (1907–1968)
• Jalu Kurek (1904–1983)
• Mira Kuś (born 1958)

L

• Antoni Lange (1863–1929)
• Stanisław Jerzy Lec, (1909–1966)
• Joanna Lech (born 1984)
• Jan Lechoń (1899–1956)
• Krystyna Lenkowska (born 1957)
• Bolesław Leśmian (1877–1937)
• Jerzy Liebert (1904–1931)
• Ewa Lipska (born 1945)
• Stanisław Herakliusz Lubomirski (1641–1702)

Ł

• Henryka Łazowertówna (1909–1942)
• Józef Łobodowski (1909–1988)

M

• Antoni Malczewski (1793–1826)
• Marcin Malek (born 1975)
• Jakobe Mansztajn (born 1982)
• Tadeusz Miciński (1873–1918)
• Grażyna Miller (1957–2009)
• Stanisław Młodożeniec (1895–1959)
• Jan Andrzej Morsztyn (1621–1693)
• Zbigniew Morsztyn (1628–1689)

N

• Daniel Naborowski (1573–1640)
• Adam Naruszewicz (1733–1796)
• Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz (1758–1841)
• Cyprian Kamil Norwid (1821–1883)
• Franciszek Nowicki (1864–1935)

O

• Antoni Edward Odyniec (1804–1885)
• Artur Oppman (1867–1931)
• Władysław Orkan (1875–1930)
• Agnieszka Osiecka (1936–1997)

P

• Leon Pasternak (1910–1969)
• Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska (1891–1945)
• Jacek Podsiadło (born 1964)
• Wincenty Pol (1807–1872)
• Halina Poświatowska (1935–1967)
• Wacław Potocki (1621–1696)
• Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer a.k.a. Kazimierz Tetmajer (1865–1940)
• Zenon Przesmycki (1861–1944)
• Jeremi Przybora (1915–2004)

R

• Mikołaj Rej (1505–1569)
• Sydor Rey (1908–1979)
• Barbara Rosiek (1959–2020)
• Tadeusz Różewicz (1921–2014), a Nike Award winner
• Tomasz Różycki (born 1970)
• Zygmunt Rumel (1915–1943)
• Lucjan Rydel (1870–1918)
• Jarosław Marek Rymkiewicz (1935–2022), a Nike Award winner

S

• Maciej Kazimierz Sarbiewski (1595–1640)
• Władysław Sebyła (1902–1940)
• Mikołaj Sęp Szarzyński (1550–1581)
• Jan Stanisław Skorupski (born 1938)
• Antoni Słonimski (1895–1976)
• Edward Stachura (1937–1979)
• Anatol Stern (1899–1968)
• Leopold Staff (1878–1957)
• Anna Stanisławska (1651–1701)
• Andrzej Stasiuk (born 1960)
• Marcin Świetlicki (born 1961)
• Anna Świrszczyńska (1909–1984)
• Władysław Syrokomla (1823–1862)
• Lola Szereszewska (1895–1943)
• Janusz Szpotański (1929–2001)
• Włodzimierz Szymanowicz (1946–1967)
• Szymon Szymonowic (1558–1629)

T

• Eugeniusz Tkaczyszyn-Dycki (born 1962), a Nike Award winner
• Julian Tuwim (1894–1953)
• Jan Twardowski (1915–2006)

U

• Kornel Ujejski (1823–1897)

W

• Aleksander Wat (1900–1967)
• Adam Ważyk (1905–1982)
• Kazimierz Wierzyński (1894–1969)
• Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz a.k.a. "Witkacy" (1885–1939)
• Stefan Witwicki (1801–1847)
• Rafał Wojaczek (1945–1971)
• Grażyna Wojcieszko (born 1957)
• Maryla Wolska (1873–1930)
• Stanisław Wyspiański (1869–1907)

Z

• Tymon Zaborowski (1799–1828)
• Adam Zagajewski (1945–2021)
• Józef Bohdan Zaleski (1802–1886)
• Wacław Michał Zaleski (1799–1849)
• Kazimiera Zawistowska (1870–1902)
• Piotr Zbylitowski (1569–1649)
• Emil Zegadłowicz (1888–1941)
• Katarzyna Ewa Zdanowicz-Cyganiak (born 1979)
• Narcyza Żmichowska (1819–1876), an early supporter of feminism in Poland
• Jerzy Żuławski (1874–1915)
• Juliusz Żuławski (1910–1999)
• Eugeniusz Żytomirski (1911–1975)

See also

• List of Polish-language authors
• List of Poles