A POEM FOR ANA (from 2011)

Love Begins

 This is where love begins.

I will not move until it hurts

I do not care if muscle burns,

All of me take now and keep.

A child’s mouth is on my breast

Her eyes are closed in sweet rest

I will not disturb her sleep.

Tremble, arms, under her weight!

This precious weight of silk and gold

Precious weight, life yet untold

My child, my child - my heart unfolds!

On my breast she is a-dream.

My breath on her breath depends.

I will not move ‘till her dream ends.

I will not move, I will not rise

Nor look away from treasured face.

Her future not here yet, and now

This is the only time and place

I have to love her.

So hold my breath, and set my pace

I won’t disturb her embrace.

The night is silent - the air is dark

And midnight hour is now long past.

When angel eyes open at last

And in a smile her lips part

I will remember my life’s task

To fill this universe with my heart.

Extract from "Jealous Moon Above Serbia"

In autumn, Serbia smells of roasted red peppers. All over the country, Serbian women are preparing food for the winter. The weather is still very mild and the windows of Serbia are open, allowing the smell of peppers to escape. You can tell the season, and the time of day by it.

In the morning, people rush to work. They buy pastries and yoghurt, spread home made jam on slices of bread. In the afternoon, they are back home and eat lunch with their families. They talk about their day, about politics. Often they talk about prices. Parents talk freely in front of children. Children have a vague notion of the word “economising”. They eat, they rest, they watch the afternoon movie on the television.

In early sunset, when the heat of the day has passed somewhat, the red peppers, colourful and full of flavour like the land itself, fill the ovens of Serbia and the smell of roasting invades the streets. 

One can tell with eyes closed that it’s autumn in Serbia, and early evening, basking in golden light.