Ecopoetry, but above all a supremely poetic account of life per se – life that is not the exclusive preserve of mankind, even though the term is often used interchangeably with human existence.

Poetry

The mood in the collection Nice Weather shifts back and forth between joy in life itself (stemming in part from the happiness the poet finds in his role as a father and the presence of his young daughter) and concerns about mankind’s future in an environment that is unmistakably becoming increasingly hostile to life. Through calm and detailed lyrical observations, Štěpánek describes our rapidly transforming world and the changes to the global ecosystem that can be observed by anyone middle-aged or older when they look back and compare the climate in their childhood memories to the one we are familiar with now.

Nevertheless, in this poetry collection, the act of remembering is not simply nostalgia; it is part of a non-confrontational analysis of a world that is slipping out of our control and crying out for help in an increasingly loud voice. However, despite appearances, it is not really nature itself Štěpánek is examining but the experience of human beings as a fundamental part of the ecosystem, where the very sustainability of life is entirely dependent on people’s behaviour and capacity for self-reflection. This presents a purely poetic challenge, which Štěpánek takes up with disarming sincerity and commitment to a worthy cause.

Radek Štěpánek (1986) is originally from Prachatice and now lives with his wife and daughter in Telč. He works for the Podyjí National Park Administration. He has published several poetry collections, works with Czech Radio Brno and is active as a freelance editor and organiser of book readings.