Halotti beszéd The original "Halotti beszéd és könyörgés" (Funeral Sermon and Prayer) is the oldest known and surviving contigu- ous Hungarian text that dates back to the late 12th century. Its hand-scribed ancient language carries the air of old scull and bones found among ruins. As a distant echo, here is a memento of a person who has just passed away; a unique individual, Kosztolányi Dezsı reminds us, as we all are. Since in November we remember our departed loved ones, this piece of poetry intends to connect it with our current biography of the poet in this issue. Halotti beszéd Keresheted ıt, nem leled, hiába, Kosztolányi Dezsı se itt, se Fokföldön, se Ázsiába, a múltba sem és a gazdag jövıben Látjátok feleim, egyszerre meghalt akárki megszülethet már, csak ı nem. Többé soha és itt hagyott minket magunkra. Megcsalt. Ismertük ıt. Nem volt nagy és kiváló, nem gyúl ki halvány-furcsa mosolya. csak szív, a mi szívünkhöz közel álló. Szegény a forgandó, tündér szerencse, De nincs már. hogy e csodát újólag megteremtse. Akár a föld. Jaj, összedılt Édes barátaim, olyan ez éppen, a kincstár. mint az az ember ottan a mesében. Az élet egyszer csak ırája gondolt, Okuljatok mindannyian e példán. mi meg mesélni kezdtünk róla: "Hol volt..." Ilyen az ember. Egyedüli példány. majd rázuhant a mázsás, szörnyő menny- bolt, Nem élt belıle több és most sem él s mint fán se nı egyforma két levél, s mi ezt meséljük róla sírva: "Nem volt..." a nagy idın se lesz hozzá hasonló. Úgy fekszik ı, ki küzdve tört a jobbra, Nézzétek e fıt, ez összeomló, mint önmagának dermedt-néma szobra. kedves szemet. Nézzétek, itt e kéz, Nem kelti föl se könny, se szó, se ve- mely a kimondhatatlan ködbe vész gyszer. kıvé meredve, Hol volt, hol nem mint egy ereklye, s rá ékírással van karcolva ritka, vol t a egyetlen életének ısi titka. világon egyszer. Akárki is volt ı, de fény, de hı volt. Mindenki tudta és hirdette: ı volt. Ahogy szerette ezt vagy azt az ételt, s szólt ajka, melyet mostan lepecsételt a csönd, s ahogy zengett fülünkbe hangja, mint vízbe süllyedt templomok harangja a mélybe lenn, s ahogy azt mondta nem rég: "Édes fiacskám, egy kis sajtot ennék" , vagy bort ivott és boldogan meredt a kezében égı, olcsó cigaretta Memorial on Kosztolanyi füstjére, és futott, telefonált, grave in Kerepesi cemetery és szıtte álmát, mint színes fonált: homlokán feltündökölt a jegy, hogy milliók közt az egyetlenegy. 1 Kosztolányi Dezsı cal rituals, verbalizing impressions of the poets Babits Mihály and Juhász a child into important events, play- Gyula and made lifelong friends with Olga Vállay Szokolay ing with words, seeking a playmate Karinthy Frigyes. to make-believe partnership and He was born on Palm Sunday and even into flirting with In 1904, he transferred to the uni- died on All Souls’ Day, the Day of death. (“Akarsz-e játszani?” – versity in Vienna, mostly engaged in the Dead. Almost… “Would you like to play?”) philosophy seminars. In 1905, he Kosztolányi Dezsı, without whom th returned to Budapest but discontin- the anthology of 20 century Hun- Of course, poetry also stole its way ued his studies for good and started garian literature would not be com- into my budding romantic life. As we journalism. His first articles were plete, actually died on November rd spent an afternoon with my favorite published in some country newspa- 3 , but his widow, herself a writer, dance partner, brother of one of our pers. But in 1906, he was hired as found it more befitting to take this “saxophonists”, he read Paul editorial staff by the prestig- poetic liberty when she wrote about Géraldy’s “Toi et moi” to me, in ious Budapesti Napló to replace Ady him. Kosztolányi’s translation. Nowadays Endre who was a correspondent in the cherished little volume is in my Paris at the time. Hence their life- My teenage years were oddly library in both languages. long animosity. wrapped in and penetrated with Kosztolányi’s poetry. Fortunately, I Well, enough of me and my connec- Kosztolányi was over 21 years old was surrounded by a circle of tions. Perhaps it’s time to get ac- when he had to face the draft. The friends with whom we lived and quainted with the writer, poet, liter- 185cm (6’-1”) tall, perfectly built, shared in the magic of music, fine ary translator, critic, essayist, jour- muscular young man was found fit arts and literature – should I just nalist himself. for service. call it culture?... Oh, we loved par- ties, dancing till daybreak and had Kosztolányi Dezsı was born at Sza- Yet, the military idea was in disso- our band consisting of a piano, often badka (then Austro-Hungarian Mon- nance with his poetic soul and he with a chain placed on its strings for archy, now Serbia) on Palm Sunday, asked his godfather, Lt. Gen. Hof- that special jingly tone, a drum, a May 29, 1885, the son of Kosz- bauer István for help. However, the string-less banjo for decoration and tolányi Árpád, math-physics teacher, fair and rigid army man rather sup- some combs with tissue paper for school principal, and Brenner ported his godson’s due military ser- the saxophone effect…But we lis- Eulália. Dezsı’s grandfather, vice with the intention of promoting tened to opera, concerts of baroque nemeskosztolányi Kosztolányi Ágos- his learning discipline. as well as modern music, visited ton, bank teller, participated in the galleries and exhibits, and we read 1848-49 Freedom Fight, serving in Thus Dezsı was placed in the infan- (well, even wrote…) poetry. Bem’s army as captain. He person- try of Szeged. While the recruits ally knew Kossuth and had even were lining up in full army gear at For our age, we were rather well talked to Petıfi. He taught his the barracks, he joined them in a versed (pun just happened…) with grandson to read and write Hungar- well-tailored light gray suit and yel- the works of a variety of poets in ian as well as English. The infant low tie, indicating that he did not Hungarian, German, English and was baptized in a Roman Catholic belong. Ultimately one Sunday he Latin. But Kosztolányi’s works ceremony and, as was the custom sent his calling card to the Colonel seemed to influence us in particular, of the day, was named Dezsı István who received the young rebel, had a to the point that for years we tried Izabella after his godparents, Hof- conversation with him about his po- to find and used colored inks for bauer István (later lieutenant gen- ems and theater life, then dismissed writing. As long as we used foun- eral) and his wife Oravecz Izabella. him. He was called for a revised tain pens, mine was always filled checkup and found unfit. with green ink. (“Mostan szines Dezsı started high school tintákról álmodom” – “I Am Dream- (gimnázium) at Szabadka but, hav- His first volume of poems, “Négy fal ing of Colored Inks”) ing made some improper comment között” (“Between Four Walls”) was about his Hungarian teacher, was published in 1907. It was received Kosztolányi not just enriched but expelled and had to complete his with unanimous approval except for validated our lives. That often high school studies as a private pu- that of Ady, commencing the un- bumpy transition from childhood to pil at Szeged. ceasing polemic and legendary feud adulthood became a meaningfully between the two. By 1908, his po- connected transcendence by the In 1903, he moved to Budapest and ems, translations and critiques were legalization of playing. Playing by registered at the University of Sci- regularly published by Élet , Hét and imagination, by consciously trans- ences, majoring in Hungarian- the freshly starting Nyugat . forming daily adult rigors into magi- German studies. There he met with 2 1910 was an eventful year for Kosz- few months, forcing Kun’s escape to intoxication”) that appeared in the tolányi. He traveled to France and Moscow. It was historic justice that November 16 th issue of Nyugat is a Italy and became a member of the he himself would be executed in clear testimony to that. Petıfi Society. It was during the Stalin’s bloody “Great Purge” some winter of that year that he met the 20 years later…) Yet, in April 1934 he held a lecture actress Harmos Ilona (née series in Transylvania. Then he un- Schlesinger) at the opening of a play It did not take long for the writer to derwent surgery, spent recovery in at the Vígszinház . Although from the realize the horrendous cruelty that a convalescent home before travel- very beginning they were attracted the Commune meant. He tried to ing to Berlin, and to Stockholm for to each other and looked as stay non-political, yet he was at- radiation treatment. startlingly similar as brother and tacked from both sides. Between sister, their relationship presented 1919 and 1921, he worked for the In 1935, after spending a few weeks constant ups and downs, fights and daily Új Nemzedék as one of the in Dalmatia, at a Visegrád journalist reconciliations. She was also a editors of the Pardon column. He resort he met and fell in love with a writer, under the pen name Görög started in the editorial staff of Pesti young married woman, Radákovich Ilona. In 1909, she had published Hirlap where he worked till the end Mária. Their relationship inspired her first, rather risqué novel, of his life. him to write several poems, includ- “Madame Chaglon üzletei” (“Mme. ing “Szeptemberi áhi- Chaglon’s Dealings”). They married His prize winning novel “Nero, a tat” (“September prayer”).