Today we remember the prominent figure of Czech underground Ivan Martin Jirous /September 23, 1944 – November 9, 2011/, holder of the Jaroslav Seifert Literary Prize for his lifetime poetic work and also the Tom Stoppard Prize (literary award of the Charter 77 Foundation) for the collection Magor's Swan Songs. Today he would have celebrated his 80th birthday…
If only we could be alone
just with our prayers
but oh God, I'm sorry
I cannot pray, I don't know how
please do not reject my
short prayer: I love You
(Ivan Martin Jirous, Magor's Swan Songs; verses from Valdice prison)
