I Fared Badly
The poet, widely recognized by the pseudonym T. R. Field (1891–1969), belongs to a little-known strand of Czech literature that explored Dadaism and nonsense. During his active writing years, he largely remained on the periphery of literary circles, society, and city life, as a resident of Vršovice. He used subversive humor to challenge both literary and social conventions, and his distinctive poetic qualities, combined with his life as an outsider, later made him a legendary figure, celebrated as the spiritual father of Lomikel, the sewer god. In his desk calendars from the 1950s and 1960s, Field repeatedly noted, ‘I fared badly,’ reflecting on his life’s journey. He believed this journey would only truly end when Lomikel would shift the vádlo* at the U Pinkasů pub to avenge Field’s lifelong blasphemy.
* (from vahadlo, mahlstick) A long stick used to paint vaults. ‘The enraged teacher struck him on the head with the malstick, and that moment marked the beginning of his cubism.’
(from the manuscript Prakršno by T. R. Field, an index supposedly from 1913–1914)
