S5 Ep 1: The Power of Taste by Zbigniew Herbert

Readings from the Pavilion End
16/02/2025 3 min Episodio 48
S5 Ep 1: The Power of Taste by Zbigniew Herbert

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Episode Synopsis

Today's poem is a translation of Polish poet Zbigniew Herbert's The Power of Taste. Herbert, who lived through both Nazi occupation and communist rule, understood how far-reaching and oppressive authoritarian regimes were. This poem offers a sharp critique of the vulgarity of totalitarianism, suggesting that an aesthetic sensibility, the pursuit of beauty and dignity, can be an effective form of defiance. 
Find the poem here. 

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