A lawyer by profession, Hviezdoslav - born Pavol Országh (1849-1921) - was a poet, dramatist and translator. He began writing poetry - initially in Hungarian - while still attending grammar school (in Miškovec and Kežmarok). An awakened national pride brought a resolution to work in Slovak, but the inclination towards realism in his early poetry met with the aversion of the older generation. Among the most important of his mature lyric cycles are Growth Rings I, II and ///, Walks through Spring, Walks through Summer, "Stesky" and, above all, the anti-war Bloody Sonnets. In their intimacy and reflection Hviezdoslav's works address...