Anzelmas Matutis

Anzelmas Matulevičius (7 January 1923 – 21 September 1985), better known by his pen name Anzelmas Matutis, was a Lithuanian teacher and children's poet.

Biography Anzelmas Matulevičius was born on 7 January 1923 in the village of to Vladas Matulevičius and Julija Šelmytė. Matulevičius had two brothers (Julius and Rolandas) and two sisters (Kazimiera and Gražina). and in 1938 he began co-editing the children's newspaper Žvaigždutė. As a teacher, Matulevičius organized after-class literary classes and stagings of fairy tales. Although Matulevičius was poor, the parents of the students respected him and brought food such as a bottle of milk or some butter. He built a home in Alytus in 1961, which is now a memorial museum. In 1971 he built a small summerhouse in , nicknamed Drevė; the house, now a museum, is notable for hosting "poetry spring" ever second spring, during which the most beautiful poem for children about nature, the Earth, and Lithuania is published. The winner is awarded the Matutis Prize (young poets are also awarded since 1995). The following year he retired from teaching and began writing as a full-time occupation. In 1976 Matulevičius, along with the poet Antanas Drilinga, set sail across the Baltic, North and Atlantic oceans, and visited ports in Africa and Spain.

Matulevičius died on 21 September 1985 in Alytus, and was buried there.

Works The core focus of Matulevičius's poems was a child enjoying the world, the people around him, and childhood itself.