"Dor de Eminescu/Missing Our National Poet" - the transdisciplinary, integrated workshop (Literature, Music, Visual Arts) dedicated to Eminescian nature, love, and time

Mihai Eminescu has been and will remain the poet of all Romanians. Every year, students and teachers all over the country organize various cultural events in honour of the one who was called the "Morning Star of Romanian Poetry," Mihai Eminescu, so that he will never be forgotten. The educational project “Dor de Eminescu/Missing Our National Poet” and the homonymous poetry writing competition to be held on 16 May 2025 celebrate the genius and legacy of our national poet.

The 4th edition of the county project “Dor de Eminescu/Missing Our National Poet” aims at removing communication barriers between teachers, students, and their parents, encouraging positive changes in the learning environment by improving the relationships between the actors of the educational process and promoting the active roles of teachers, students and parents in education.

The main objectives of the project are:

•  to know the the main biographical data of the national poet;
•  to become familiar with Mihai Eminescu’s literary work;
•  to reflect on the most representative Romanian poet’s creations;
•  to listen to and perform song lyrics based on Eminescu’s poetry;
•  to create poetry inspired by Mihai Eminescu’s themes of nature, love, and time;
•  to develop key competences for lifelong learning: communication in Romanian and English, digital competence, learning-to-learn skills, social and civic competences, a spirit of initiative, and cultural awareness and expression.

On 14 February 2024, more than 100 students enrolled in 4 classes at Liceul Teoretic "Radu Vlădescu" - 10A, 10B, 10U and 11B - participated in a transdisciplinary, integrated workshop (Literature, Music, Visual Arts) in both Romanian and English, dedicated to Eminescian nature, love, and time.

Guided by the coordinators of the county project "Dor de Eminescu/Missing Our National Poet", Mrs. Adelaida Loredana Iorga (teacher of Romanian) and Mrs. Claudia Emilia Frînculeasă (teacher of English), the students read their favourite poems written by Mihai Eminescu as well as their English versions translated by Corneliu M. Popescu.

The Eminescian poems on love were:

•  "Floare albastră" (Blue Flower) - a delicate, melancholic poem about idealized love and longing;
•  "Dorința" (Desire) - a romantic and idyllic portrayal of love in nature;
•  "Sara pe deal" (Eve' on the Hill) - a musical and atmospheric poem about love and nostalgia at sunset;
•  "Pe lângă plopii fără soț" (Down, Where the Lonely Poplars Grow) - a poem of unfulfilled love and deep yearning;
•  "Atât de fragedă" (So Delicate) - a tender and emotional tribute to a pure, almost ethereal love.

The Eminescian poems on nature were:

•  "Revedere" (Reunion) - a lyrical dialogue between the poet and the eternal forces of nature;
•  "Codrule, codruțule" (Little Forest, My Forest) - a nostalgic and melancholic poem about the deep connection between man and nature;
•  "Ce te legeni" (Why Do You Wail, O Forest Trees) - a symbolic poem where nature reflects human emotions;
•  "La mijloc de codru des" (In the Heart of the Dense Forest) - a serene and picturesque description of the beauty of the forest.

The Eminescian poems on time were:

•  "O, rămâi" (Oh, Stay) - a meditation on the passage of time and the desire to hold onto fleeting moments;
•  "Glossa" (Gloss) - a philosophical poem about the cyclical nature of time and life’s transience;
•  "Mai am un singur dor" (I Have But One More Longing) - a melancholic reflection on the end of life and the desire for a peaceful passing;
•  "Trecut-au anii" (The Years Have Passed) - a nostalgic poem about the passage of youth and lost time.

The second part of the workshop combined creative writing, collaboration, music, and visual arts, encouraging the students to create original poems inspired by some of Mihai Eminescu's main themes: love, nature and time.

The main benefits of this innovative pedagogical approach were:

• literary analysis and comprehension: the students became familiar with key themes in Mihai Eminescu’s poetry through guided reading and discussions.
• creative expression: the students engaged in writing activities inspired by Eminescu’s motifs, expressing their interpretations in both Romanian and English.
• artistic interpretation: the integrated workshop allowed the students to visually represent poetic imagery.
• musical integration: listening to and analyzing musical adaptations of Eminescu’s poetry enhanced their understanding of the emotional and aesthetic depth of his work.

The collaborative poetic creations highlighting the students' interpretations of Eminescu’s themes were shared with their peers, improving their cultural awareness, artistic appreciation and creative expression.

The project participants had previously watched the film "Un Bulgăre de Humă" (A Clod of Clay), a 1989 Romanian biographical film directed by Nicolae Mărgineanu, depicting the friendship between two of Romania’s greatest writers, Mihai Eminescu and Ion Creangă. Exploring two contrasting personalities (Eminescu - the melancholic poet, and Creangă - the jovial storyteller) while highlighting their shared passion for literature and deep intellectual bond, the film is set against the backdrop of 19th-century Romania, capturing their struggles, artistic aspirations, and the cultural atmosphere of the time, offering a poignant reflection on friendship, creativity and destiny.