Poetry and Piety

On Pieśń poranna by Franciszek Karpiński

Abstract

The aim of this article is to interpret the meaning of Franciszek Karpiński’s poem, published in his collection Pieśni nabożne [Devotional Songs] (1794), as an outstanding work of religious poetry and as a cultural text that grew out of the centuries-old tradition of various poetic genres to become inscribed in the canon of Catholic prayers, as well as in the piety of the faithful who practiced the Christian order of the day. The article considers the history of editing the verbal text of the interpreted work, and issues related to its musical layer: the melody of Pieśń poranna [Morning Song]. The text is solidly backed by existing readings of the Morning Song by eminent experts on Karpiński’s works (W. Borowy, T. Kostkiewiczowa, R. Sobol, T. Chachulski). The relationship between the poetic work and the tradition of religious writing, especially sacred poetry, can be described by the term itertextuality (instead of intertextuality). Kiedy ranne wstają zorze... is an occasional song both in the typological and theological sense of the term. The work turns out to be a poem of polymodal subjectivity, a lyric of multiple voices. It contains references to literary tradition and constitutes an original case of folklore. It embodies the “beautiful and elevated as well as simplicity” advocated by the author himself in his program treatise O wymowie w prozie albo wierszu. The Morning Song is an opening frame typical of hymnals. As an ecclesiastical song, it contains a clear theological content: love for God and worshiping him is the goal of a Christian’s life. The text has its origins in various forms of worship and in a variety of genres of religious writing. The song originated as a contrafactum, i.e. It was based on a well-known song melody, however, the melody changed and diversified over time. In terms of verse, the poem represents early Polish syllabotonism: the trochaic tetrastich is predominant, incidentally modified by rhetorical diction. In the poetic tradition of the Morning Song, a prominent place is occupied by psalms, church hymns, bugles and occasional songs.