Všechna hvězdná znamení – Bystrov Michal (2020)

The texts published in this book circulated among friends for a long time. They were heard at literary readings, published in magazines, and appeared in various anthologies. They belong to their author - journalist, musician, and translator Michal Bystrov - just like his songs and articles. To be honest, they belong to him more than anything else. This genre-blending collection showcases Bystrov's work in all its breadth: from love poetry (Noční kouzlo, Rychlík do horečky) to sarcastic, sometimes dark, sometimes pink humor (Sade, lesy, zahradnictví) to lightly nostalgic musings about his hometown (Prahoznámá postava) or, conversely, intense thunder in free verse (Vzteklej pes). Here we find poems about the birth of a child (Blond kytka pro blond holku) and about the death of a father (Zima za průhlednými záclonami), nursery rhymes for little nieces, a daughter, and a son (Kůň s modrýma očima, Všechna hvězdná znamení), but also a frantic nonsense of a subversive nature (Potkal Špringštajn Silvrštajna). The result is what the author fondly calls 'organized chaos.'