literature and religion, Slovene poetry, religious poetry, Christianity
Abstract
Three Slovenian poets have developed the theme of religious lyrical poetry to that very limit beyond which they could not go if they wished to remain faithful to Christian belief. The first was Simon Gregorčič. In the moments of his worst despair caused by the collapsing of his image of ideal world, he gave way to emotions and to extreme pessimism. In his confessional poem “Človeka nikar!” (“O Never More!”), a true rhetorical masterpiece, he begs the Supreme Being not to give life to men anymore. France Vodnik, a poet of Catholic intellectuals after World War I, opposed to the traditional image of God for the reason of principle. Wishing to remain independent in relation to the Supreme Being, he acts as a rebel in his poem “Borivec z Bogom” (“Fighter with God”). He keeps his distance to the Creator but also the possibility to be in accordance with him. The third poet Jože Udovič does not oppose God in principle. In his poem “Iz dnevnika” (“From a Diary”) he addresses God for the very concrete reason, the reason of experience. He cannot agree with untimely death of a great artist, church painter and priest. He reproaches God with his hasty decision, he has doubts about “God's plan”, about his wisdom and righteousness. Obviously, all three poets have radicalized their dissonant relation to God. They have even endangered their unity with him, but have not denied his existence nor faith in his almightiness and uniqueness.
