Former British ambassador in Budapest recited Endre Ady on the Day of Hungarian Poetry! – VIDEO

Iain Lindsay former British ambassador to Hungary

Photo: INstagram

It is not the first time Iain Lindsay surprised Hungarians on the Day of Hungarian Culture or the Day of Hungarian Poetry. The former British ambassador to Hungary, who was beloved by many for his countless gestures towards Hungarians, recited famous Hungarian poet and journalist Endre Ady yesterday. Lindsay currently serves in Bahrain, but it seems he did not forget Hungary.

11 April is the Day of Hungarian Culture, the birthday of Attila József, one of the greatest Hungarian poets of the 20th century. Iain Lindsay surprised us with an Attila József poem on 22 January 2020, before he had left Hungary in February.

He served as the ambassador of the United Kingdom in Budapest between 2016 and 2020 and successfully mastered the language. He recited Hungarian poets many times, and it became a tradition by now that he recites a poem on the Day of Hungarian Poetry – szeretlekmagyarorszag.hu reported.

Read also: British Ambassador’s special gift on the Day of Hungarian Culture! – VIDEO

Interestingly, after he left Hungary, he quit his diplomatic career. Currently, he is living in Bahrain, but he did not forget about Hungary, even in the middle of the Persian Gulf. He recited Endre Ady’s Őrizem a szemed (I guard your eyes), and he did not forget to pin a red-white-green ribbon on his suit yesterday.

Read also: Beloved British ambassador of Hungary leaves office

Here is the poem in English from babelmatrix.org:

Endre Ady: I guard your eyes

With my old man’s wrinkled hand,

with my old man’s squinting eyes,

let me hold your lovely hand,

let me guard your lovely eyes.

Worlds have tumbled, through their fall

like a wild beast chased by fright

I came, and I on you did call

scared, I wait with you inside.

With my old man’s wrinkled hand,

with my old man’s squinting eyes,

let me hold your lovely hand,

let me guard your lovely eyes.

I do not know why, how long

can I thus remain for you –

but I hold your lovely hand

and I guard your lovely eyes.

Ádám Makkai

Endre Ady (1877 – 1919) was a turn-of-the-century Hungarian poet and journalist. Regarded by many as the greatest Hungarian poet of the 20th century, he was noted for his steadfast belief in social progress and development and for his poetry’s exploration of fundamental questions of the modern European experience: love, temporality, faith, individuality, and patriotism, Wikipedia says.