Józef Bohdan Zaleski (14 February 1802 – 31 March 1886) was a Polish Romantic poet. A friend of Adam Mickiewicz, Zaleski founded the Ukrainian poetic school.

Life

Zaleski was a member of the secret patriotic organisation Związek Wolnych Polaków (1821); a participant of the November Uprising (1830–1831); a deputy of the Sejm (during the November Uprising 1830–1831); the co-founder (with Mickiewicz) of the religious brotherhood Towarzystwo Braci Zjednoczonych; and co-editor of a magazine, Nowa Polska.

Works

Zaleski was associated with Romanticism and sentimentalism. He was the author of popular historical dumas (in which he refers to Ukrainian folklore); love and reflective lyrics inspired by folk poetry; religious poetry; as well as fantasy poems, sung poems, aphoristic poems, memoirs, translations (Serbian folk songs). Three of his songs were set to music by Frédéric Chopin (see Polish songs by Frédéric Chopin).