{{Short description|Polish poet and writer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}} thumb|Marcin Malek in 2012
'''Marcin Malek''' (also writing under the pen name '''Martin Smallridge'''; born 24 February 1975) is a Polish poet, writer, playwright and publicist.
He is also a literature translator to Russian and English (both ways), including press articles in the field of international affairs and cultural releases as well as Russian and English-language poetry along with the letters of Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin. Published mainly in quarterlies: "Fronda", "Tygiel Kultury", "Akcent" and monthlies: "Nowe Państwo", „Stosunki Międzynarodowe", "Opcja na prawo", "Dziś", Winner of the annual award of "Poetry&Paratheatre" journal (category: Poem of the Year) for year 2012, (work: ''Bieg – Czyli list do współczesnych'' / "Run – a letter to the present").
==Life== Marcin Malek (born 24 February 1975, Warsaw, Poland) is a Polish-Irish writer, poet, essayist, journalist, and editor. He studied International Affairs (Diplomacy) and Customs Administration Services. Since 2006, he has lived in Ireland, where he has been actively engaged in both literary and journalistic work.
In 2021, Malek founded and became editor-in-chief of The Irish Field Archery Monthly (TIFAM), a printed periodical dedicated to archery, covering historical, technical, and cultural aspects of the sport. Under his leadership, TIFAM has grown into a significant publication within the Irish and international archery communities.
Additionally, he has served in various roles as a volunteer board member of TIFAM CLG, a registered non-profit organization dedicated to promoting traditional archery in Ireland. He currently serves as the secretary of TIFAM CLG, playing a key role in organizational governance, strategic development, and advocacy efforts. Through his work with TIFAM CLG, Malek has been instrumental in organizing the TIFAM All-Ireland Archery Festival and supporting the development of the National Archery Centre, a long-term project aimed at fostering the sport’s growth in Ireland.
Beyond his contributions to archery, Malek continues to write and publish extensively on literature, history, and international affairs. His literary style, blending Gothic, Romantic, and existential themes, has earned him recognition across multiple disciplines.
==Creative activity== In recent years Malek devoted himself mainly to poetry. As he says: he "finally found a place where he belongs, and all that he owns, is the power of his words, and a momentous awareness of consequences".<ref name="autogenerated6">From the introduction to the volume "Blood wafers of eyelids", Publisher. Miniatura, Kraków 2011, p. 6.</ref> He is of the opinion, that "poetry is like a spurt; elusive, and not enough to say — inexplicable".<ref name="autogenerated6"/> In his writing "poetry is the way into the unknown is still asks questions and never hears correct answers. And so – to be a poet is no more than wander around and ask every encountered soul for directions."<ref name="autogenerated6"/> In his opinion, poetry is "a storage of historical curiosities, in which we keep rarely used words, and poets are workers who use these words as the raw material. The snag is that they work blindly because with such material you can never be sure, and it is difficult to predict what falls out of the assembly line."<ref>From the introduction to the volume "Words factory in a hundred and one poems", Publisher. Miniatura, Kraków 2010, p. 10.</ref> In his opinions of other poets he expresses himself very carefully saying that they live "somewhere out there, where we mere mortals do not have access – on the other side, in the midst of spells, myths and legends."<ref>From the introduction to the volume "Among the things", Publisher. Miniatura, Kraków 2012, p. 8.</ref> He explains that "poets have something in common with the unfortunate Icarus, whose flight and fall are widespread symbols of the human thoughtful pursuit of unattainable objectives against the natural order of the world. We want to see them as those who are in pursuit of reality, those fully aware of their tremendous responsibility, always faithful to a supreme idea, entering boldly where none seemingly normal would dare to enter – mainly because our "me" bothers us more than anything else. Poet (who lives inside us) has thousands of them – continues in perpetual flight to fall and to rise, and so it goes, he passes from one dimension to another becoming his own multiplication. Sometimes Malek calls himself an invented character, once he admitted that he associates with the ghosts, and that "under the pressure of certain words", he simply "does not know how to be himself."<ref name="autogenerated6"/><!-- Consider changing for this version: Marcin Malek, writing under the pen name Martin Smallridge, has built a remarkable literary career defined by his ability to bridge cultural and linguistic divides. His translations of Polish poetry into English have introduced the richness of Polish literary traditions to a global audience.
An acclaimed literary critic, Malek's essays are celebrated for their depth and originality, many of which are collected in his notable works, Breaking Through the Inky Night and Thirty and One Literature Lectures. His keen analyses delve into the intricacies of literature, reflecting his profound engagement with the art of writing and a rare talent for unraveling complex literary constructs.
In recent years, Malek has dedicated himself primarily to poetry, which he regards as his truest vocation. He describes his poetic journey as a quest for belonging, saying he has "finally found a place where [he] belongs, and all that [he] owns is the power of [his] words and a momentous awareness of consequences." For him, poetry is "a spurt; elusive, and not enough to say — inexplicable," a medium that asks profound questions without ever expecting definitive answers. He likens the role of the poet to that of a wanderer, moving "from one soul to another, asking for directions," a process both humbling and enlightening.
Malek’s understanding of poetry extends to its role as a repository of language, describing it as "a storage of historical curiosities" where rarely used words are preserved. Poets, in his view, are craftsmen who work with these words as raw materials, though often blindly, uncertain of what the creative process will yield. This unpredictability, far from a limitation, underscores the mystique and challenge of the craft.
Writing as Martin Smallridge, he has further expanded his literary contributions, blending his Polish heritage with the lyrical traditions of Ireland, where he has lived since 2006. Among his works are the enchanting children’s book A Drawer Full of Wonders and several theatrical plays that explore history, psychology, and moral dilemmas. His poetry and essays under this pen name retain the intellectual depth and nuanced artistry that define his work as Malek.
His poetic philosophy is deeply reflective, drawing parallels between poets and the mythological figure of Icarus. "Poets," he explains, "have something in common with the unfortunate Icarus, whose flight and fall symbolize humanity’s pursuit of unattainable objectives." For Małek, poets embody a restless spirit, perpetually caught between ascent and descent, passing "from one dimension to another, becoming [their] own multiplication." This relentless pursuit, he believes, mirrors the human condition—a continuous effort to reconcile the self with the vast, often inexplicable realities of existence.
From 2010 to 2016, Małek was a key contributor to Poetry & Paratheatre, during which his poem Bieg – czyli list do współczesnych (The Run – A Letter to the Moderns) earned him the Poetry & Paratheatre Art Prize in 2012. He also participated in Th’Republic of Poets, the world’s first virtual poetry festival, demonstrating his commitment to innovation and global literary dialogue.
At times, Małek describes himself as "an invented character," shaped by the words he crafts and haunted by the ghosts of ideas and histories he conjures. He admits that "under the pressure of certain words," he sometimes "does not know how to be [himself]." Yet it is this very tension between self and creation, between certainty and doubt, that fuels his poetic vision and continues to captivate readers across cultures and generations. -->
==Books== * ''Fabryka słów w stu jeden wierszach'', Wyd. Wydawnictwo Miniatura, Kraków 2010. {{ISBN|9788376062181}} ''Words factory in a hundred and one poems, Publisher. Miniatura, Kraków 2010.'' * ''My wszyscy z wierszy'' Wyd. Wydawnictwo Miniatura, Kraków 2011. {{ISBN|9788376062792}} ''We are all of the poems, Publisher. Miniatura, Kraków 2011.'' * ''Z powiek opłatki krwi''. Wyd. Wydawnictwo Miniatura, Kraków 2011. {{ISBN|9788376063195}} '' Blood wafers of eyelids, Publisher. Miniatura, Kraków 2011.'' * ''Spomiędzy rzeczy''. Wyd. Wydawnictwo Miniatura, Kraków 2012. {{ISBN|9788376063416}} ''Among the things, Publisher. Miniatura, Kraków 2012.'' (Bilingual book Polish/English) * ''Pamiętnik z niedokończonej wyprawy''. Wyd. Miniatura, Kraków 2012. {{ISBN|9788376063775}} ''Diary of an unfinished journey, Publisher. Miniatura, Kraków 2012.''(Bilingual book Polish/English) * ''Nazwijcie mnie idiotą''. Wyd. Wydawnictwo Miniatura, Kraków 2012. {{ISBN|9788376064406}} ''Call me an idiot, Publisher. Miniatura, Kraków 2012.'' * ''Jedną nogą''. Wyd. Wydawnictwo Miniatura, Kraków 2013. {{ISBN|9788376065861}} ''By one leg, Publisher. Miniatura, Kraków 2013.'' (Bilingual book Polish/English) * ''For life and death of a poet''. Publisher Lyrics, Lublin 2015. {{ISBN|9788394316211}} ASIN B014B7L66Y (English) * ''Na życie i śmierć poety''. Publisher Lyrics, Lublin 2015. {{ISBN|9788394316204}} "For life and death of a poet. Lyrics, 2015". ASIN B014CCFOCK * ''Znaki żywego alfabetu''. Publisher Lyrics, Lublin 2015. {{ISBN|9788394316228}} " The characters of live alphabet. Lyrics, 2015". ASIN B014N3KQCG * ''Facies Hippocratica''. Publisher Lyrics, 2015. {{ISBN|9781519332684}} * "Najgorsze jest pierwsze sto lat". Publisher Lyrics, 2015. {{ISBN|9781519587541}} "The worst part is a firs hundred years, Lyrics 2015" * ''Ponad miarę ludzkiej materii''. Publisher Lyrics, 2015. {{ISBN|9781326458898}} "Beyond the measure of human matter, Lyrics 2015" * ''Anthology of slavic poetry''. by Piotr Kasjas Lulu.com, 16 Oct 2016. {{ISBN|9781326786229}}, poems on pages 161-165. * ''We'll go asleep. Poems and ballads''. Publisher Lyrics, 2020 Portlaoise. {{ISBN|9798564472470}}, ASIN : B08NF32F8N Lyrics 2020" * ''Breaking through the inky night: On trivial yet deadly serious matters''. Publisher Lyrics Editorial House, May 13, 2021, Portlaoise. {{ISBN|979-8503858525}}, ASIN : B094TG1P6W Lyrics 2021". Published under pen name Martin Smallridge * ''The mills kept grinding''. Publisher Lyrics Editorial House, August 25, 2021, Portlaoise. {{ISBN|979-8463763839}}, ASIN : B09DMXTHMR Lyrics Editorial House 2021". Published under pen name Martin Smallridge * ''A lifetime of questions In Thirty and One Literature Lectures'' . Publisher Lyrics Editorial House, November 11, 2024, Portlaoise. {{ISBN|979-8346271529}}, ASIN : B0DMSZLY75 Lyrics Editorial House 2024". Published under pen name Martin Smallridge * ''A Drawer Full of Wonders''. Publisher Lyrics Editorial House, November 12, 2024, Portlaoise. {{ISBN|979-8285744047}}, ASIN : B0DMW8X2PH Lyrics Editorial House 2024". Published under pen name Martin Smallridge * ''An T-ocras''. Publisher Lyrics Editorial House, March 1, 2025, Portlaoise. {{ISBN|979-8319442819}}, ASIN: B0CW1FHZ8V Lyrics Editorial House 2025. Published under pen name Martin Smallridge * ''The Peculiar Incidents of Zacharie Blanchard: Book I – Crooked Hill's Dern ''. Publisher Lyrics Editorial House, 2025, Portlaoise. {{ISBN|979-8285744047}}, ASIN: B0FB9GDNBM Lyrics Editorial House 2025. Published under pen name Martin Smallridge * ''Where the Maps Ends: A Life Threaded Through Forty Literary Lectures ''. Publisher Lyrics Editorial House, 2025, Portlaoise. {{ISBN|979-8287715984}}, ASIN:B0FCSKTQSK Lyrics Editorial House 2025. Published under pen name Martin Smallridge * ''The Ring, the Cat, and Paddy’s Missing Digit: A dark comedy in four acts''. Publisher Lyrics Editorial House, 2025, Portlaoise. {{ISBN|979-8287557355}}, ASIN: B0FCMQW8W9 Lyrics Editorial House 2025. Published under pen name Martin Smallridge * ''No Rest for the Dead in Portlaoise: Dark Comedy in five Acts''. Publisher Lyrics Editorial House, 2025, Portlaoise. {{ISBN|979-8287585709}}, ASIN: B0FCN1MLJ7 Lyrics Editorial House 2025. Published under pen name Martin Smallridge * ''Hauntings of Dún na nGall: An Irish Gothic Play in Five Acts''. Publisher Lyrics Editorial House, 2025, Portlaoise. {{ISBN|979-8287867621}}, ASIN: B0FCZYK1L8 Lyrics Editorial House 2025. Published under pen name Martin Smallridge * ''The Mourner's Wake: Irish Folklore Dark Comedy in four Acts''. Publisher Lyrics Editorial House, 2025, Portlaoise. {{ISBN|979-8287695057}}, ASIN: B0FCSQZ882 Lyrics Editorial House 2025. Published under pen name Martin Smallridge * ''Facies Hippocratica: A Grim Tragedy in Four Acts''. Publisher Lyrics Editorial House, 2025, Portlaoise. {{ISBN|979-8288183553}}, ASIN: B0FD8VBRW6, english Edition, Lyrics Editorial House 2025. Published under pen name Martin Smallridge * ''The Creed of the Loosed Arrow in Flight''. Publisher : TIFAM Publishing, 2025, Portlaoise. {{ISBN|979-8316285358}}, ASIN: B0F2ZKW6HD, TIFAM Publishing 2025. Published under pen name Martin Smallridge * ''Irish Archery An Ecology in Motion''. Publisher : TIFAM Publishing, 2025, Portlaoise. {{ISBN|979-8283315317}}, ASIN: B0F893LZ2L, Publisher : TIFAM Publishing 2025. Published under pen name Martin Smallridge * ''The last "foes of humanity" ''. Publisher : Publisher Lyrics Editorial House, 2025, Portlaoise. {{ISBN|979-8301883897}}, ASIN: B0DPDQ4SHR, Lyrics Editorial House 2025. Published under pen name Martin Smallridge * ''The Fall of Jeremiah Grant: An Irish Tragedy in Five Acts " ''. Publisher : Publisher Lyrics Editorial House, 2025, Portlaoise. {{ISBN|979-8288084324}}, ASIN: B0FD858XN4, Lyrics Editorial House 2025. Published under pen name Martin Smallridge
==Journals== * "Fronda" nr 29, wiosna 2003 ''Chcemy znać ostatnią wersję prawdy''
* "Fronda" nr 31, Boże Narodzenie 2003 ''Kto nie widział, ten nie zrozumie''
* Kwartalnik "Akcent" nr 4 (94) 2003 ''Od Puszkina do Czuchraja. Literackie szkice o Rosji''
* "Stosunki Międzynarodowe":
''Terroryzm medialny – Nowa forma komunikacji międzyludzkiej'', wrzesień 2004
''Trzy maski na jedną twarz'', październik 2004
''Kłopotliwy Karzeł w Cieniu Giganta'', październik 2004
''Kto się boi Sharona?'', listopad 2004
''Zaolzie i Spisz'', kwiecień 2005
''Rosyjskie a priori'', maj 2005
* "Tygiel Kultury" nr 10-12/2004 ''Apokalipsa po rosyjsku''
* "Fronda" nr 35, wiosna 2005 ''Rosyjski übermensch''
* "Opcja na prawo" nr 10/46, październik 2005 ''Rosja jak "dzika Bela"''
* "Opcja na prawo" nr 11/47, listopad 2005 ''Gwiazdozbiór smoka''
* "Tygiel Kultury" nr 10-12/2005 ''Gwiazdozbiór smoka''
* "Nowe Państwo" nr 1 (361), zima 2006 ''Wiek Smoka''
* "Opcja na prawo" nr 1/49, styczeń 2006 ''Brunatny wiatr odnowy''
* "Tygiel Kultury" nr 1-3/2006 ''Rosja jak "dzika Bela"''
* "Worldpress.org" August 3, 2016 ''The Jedwabne Massacre of 1941: An Interview with Marcin Malek "'' by Teri Schure
* "Worldpress.org" March 12, 2018 ''"Polish Death Camps" Controversy''
* "Leinster Express" May 17, 2020 ''"Portlaoise story in a time of Covid lockdown''
* "The Irish Field Archery Monthly" multiple articles of different genres (since December 2021)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://alpha.bn.org.pl/search~S5*pol/?searchtype=a&searcharg=Małek%2C+Marcin+%281975-+%29.&searchscope=5&sortdropdown=-&SORT=D&extended=0&SUBMIT=Szukaj&searchlimits=&searchorigarg=aMa%7Bu0142%7Dek%2C+Marcin+%281975-+%29 National Library of Poland] *[http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000832008 National Library of Ireland] *[https://books.google.com/books?id=ETJ3mnSAYM4C Google Books] *[https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21782542.Martin_Smallridge Goodreads (Martin Smallridge)] *[https://archive.today/20130213084240/http://www.tygielkultury.eu/10_12_2004/aktual/3ram.htm Tygiel Kultury10_12_2004] *[https://archive.today/20130213065423/http://www.tygielkultury.eu/10_12_2005/aktual/02.htm Tygiel Kultury 10_12_2005] *[https://archive.today/20130213101308/http://www.tygielkultury.eu/1_3_2006/aktual/d03.htm Tygiel Kultury 1_3_2006] *[http://www.pismofronda.pl/wp-content/uploads/Fronda29.pdf Fronda 29] *[http://www.pismofronda.pl/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Fronda31.pdf Fronda 31] *[http://www.pismofronda.pl/wp-content/uploads/Fronda35.pdf Fronda 35] *[http://www.kulturaihistoria.umcs.lublin.pl/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/Kultura-i-Historia-nr-8.pdf Kultura i Historia nr 8] *[http://prognozy2030.salon24.pl/454689,nagrody-poetry-paratheatre-w-dziedzinie-sztuki-za-rok-2012 „Poetry&Paratheatre” Awards 2012] *[https://www.amazon.com/stores/Martin-Smallridge/author/B094Y5152Z?ref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true Martin Smallridge amazon author page] *[https://tifam.ie/ TIFAM magazinepage]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Malek, Marcin}} Category:1975 births Category:Living people Category:Polish male poets Category:Writers from Warsaw