THE LEGENDARY TALKS
β Conversation - 7
GOLDEN WORDS
An Exclusive Interview with Maja MilojkoviΔ
Interviewer: Biljana LetiΔ
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Poetry, a deeply personal expression that comes from the soul like a melodyβ¦ Poetry, painting, singing, and dancing are my four βaces,β and I believe they are gifts from God.
β Maja MilojkoviΔ
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Maja MilojkoviΔ carries a handful of creative hats in her artistic suitcase. First and foremost, she is one of the founders of the poetry club Area Felix; editor of the international magazine for creative literature and culture Area Felix, and deputy editor-in-chief of the publishing house Sfaros in Belgrade, and also the founder and vice president of the association Rtanj and the Moonβs Poetic Circle. Exclusively for the readers of the media portal Rasejanje.info as well; Biljana LetiΔ shares a story about the achievements of the versatile artist Maja MilojkoviΔ; told from the perspective of a writer, author, and poet. Biljana LetiΔ is a native of Belgrade and also lived in Brisbane, Australia for almost three decades.
Multi-talented Author and Artist
The multi-talented author and artist Maja MilojkoviΔ, originally from ZajeΔar, Serbia, has a rich background in the specific creative field she is devoted to. She is also passionate about many artistic directions, which she refers to as her βfour acesββpoetry; painting; singing; and dance. This interview focuses on poetry, books, and also the series of honorary awards Maja MilojkoviΔ has received in 2024. Majaβs artistic journey as well as her golden path to fame are covered in this story, along with two of her poems: βFollow Meβ and βThe End and the Beginning.β
Biljana LetiΔ, Radio Host for ZZZZ,
Brisbane, Australia.
Biljana LetiΔ: How would you describe to the readers β who is Maja MilojkoviΔ?
Maja MilojkoviΔ: Maja is an Aryan name that means illusion or that which is not in Sanskrit, so my name carries a symbolic meaning. Two in one β my SELF, which does not like to be in the spotlight, and Maja, who is extroverted. Thus, I enjoy solitude, while Maja loves fame. And so it goes endlessly β a dual nature that allows me to play with everything Iβm not and to enjoy, unburdened, all that comes from this world. My vivid imagination is reflected in me as a versatile artistic being.
Poetry, painting, singing, and dancing are my four βaces,β and I believe they are gifts from God.
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I gladly accept invitations for cooperation because I believe in the power of international connection through art.
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But, that doesnβt mean Iβm the best, but rather that these paths are the best means for expressing my soul. You are given life and talentsβthey are instruments through which you act, conveying a message you discover within yourself. And, that message must always be one that awakens optimism in people, inspires them toward self-realization, and transforms them for the better.
Last year, I became a promoter for the music label FORTUNA DENMARK, which creates fantastic hits. So, they recorded my song Egyptian Night, for which I also have a music video in which I sing.
Biljana LetiΔ: Letβs start with the books youβve published. Can you list all the books and awards youβve received so far?
Maja MilojkoviΔ: Iβve published two poetry collections: βThe Moonβs Circleβ, published by Sven from NiΕ‘, and βThe Wishing Treesβ, published by Sfairos from Belgrade.
My third collection, βBe Like a Paper Kiteβ, is currently in preparation and will also be published by Sfairos.
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I find inspiration in prayer, in people, in life itself, and of course, in the desire for what I write to reach the human heart.
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My third collection, βBe Like a Paper Kiteβ, is currently in preparation and will also be published by Sfairos. Besides, together with Dr. Milan MladenoviΔ, I co-edited the international anthology βRhymes from Rtanjβ for 2024, published by Sfairos in Belgrade.
Now, Iβm represented in around 40 domestic and international anthologies. Also, this year I was invited by Dr. Brajesh Gupta Mevadev from India to be one of several editors on an international anthology from India. In addition, I worked on stylistic editing for two novels by Croatian writer Vladimir PaviΔ.
Additionally, in 2024, Iβd like to highlight the book βHyperpoemβ, an international anthology edited by Alexander Kobishev from Russia. It is the longest poem in the world and has been included in the Guinness Book of Records. I contributed a quatrain to it.
This anthology gained international popularity and was presented at the book fair in Munich this year.
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I express the poetry of my soul in my own way, and at the same time, I paint it artistically through words so that it can be heard β felt β with the heart.
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Β It is also available for purchase on Amazon.
Moreover, I have had a long-standing collaboration with the esteemed writer Agron Shele from Belgium, participating every year in the international anthologies he edits. A copy of each book is sent to the Royal Library of the Netherlands.
Since, Iβve also collaborated for many years with Abdallah Gassmi from Tunisia. Therefore, every year, I participate in anthologies he edits, and last year I was invited as an honorary guest, along with several other poets, in Tunisia.
Six years ago, I also joined leading global movements for peace, animal protection, anti-racism, and similar causes. As an activist, I have received a large number of awards from many countries.
Hereβs a small portion of the awards I received in 2024, among them:
- The Literature Award from the Academy of Ethics in India, awarded by the Academy’s President, Dr. Jernail S. Anand. This is, in fact, the highest recognition I received in 2024. Only three of these diplomas were awarded in Serbia: to Vice President Maja Herman SekuliΔ, the President of Matica Srpska, Dr. Dragan StaniΔ and myself.
- An award from Dr. Arch. Franca Colozzo from Italy, on behalf of GPLT for sustainability and climate change. She is a prominent figure in leading global organizations.
- And, awards from βRINASCIMENTO β RENAISSANCE MILLENNIUM III,β presented to me by Prof. George Onsy, founder and president of RRM3 from Cairo, Egypt.
- Also, an award from Nobel Prize nominee Abdulgani Yahya Al-Ebarh Din of Yemen for contributions to world peace.
- And, the βGolden Bridgeβ award from writer Rahim Karim Karimov from Kyrgyzstan.
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Thatβs the magic of poetry: it transcends visual and auditory boundaries, becoming an emotion, a message, a presence.
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Furthermore, this year, I also wrote reviews for internationally recognized authors, including Jernail S. Anand, Hela Tekali from Tunisia, and Aleksei Kalakutin from Russia.
Also, I write for magazines from various countries. Iβd like to highlight the regular publication of my poems in magazines such as:
- Synchronicity of Chaos from California
- Atunis Poetry from Belgium
- Polis Magazino from Greece
- and many others.
Hence, collaboration with seven magazines around the world has earned me great respect from colleagues and recognition in many countries. I gladly accept invitations for cooperation because I believe in the power of international connection through art.
Biljana LetiΔ: Where do you get your inspiration for writing poetry?
Maja MilojkoviΔ: Well, I find inspiration in prayer; in people; in life itself; and of course, in the desire for what I write to reach the human heart.
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The central themes of my work are love, spirituality, inner transformation, the transience of time, and reflections on life and death.
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Biljana LetiΔ
Since youβre inspired by Leonardo da Vinciβs quote: βPainting is poetry that can be seen, and poetry is painting that can be heard.β How do you experience that β as expressing poetry from the soul in your own way, or as an artistic βpaintingβ of poetry that is heard?
Maja MilojkoviΔ: For me, itβs both. Yes, I express the poetry of my soul in my own way, and at the same time, I paint it artistically through words so that it can be heard β felt β with the heart. So, thatβs the magic of poetry: it transcends visual and auditory boundaries, becoming an emotion, a message, a presence.
Biljana LetiΔ: When did you realize that poetry was your way of artistic expression? And, what are the most common messages you convey through your verses?
Maja MilojkoviΔ: I wrote my first poem on November 20, 1993, the day before our familyβs patron saint day (krsna slava), dedicated to Archangel Michael, which we celebrate on November 21.
Since 1997, I began writing actively, and the central themes of my work are love; spirituality; inner transformation; the transience of time; and reflections on life and death.
Biljana LetiΔ: The association Rtanj and the Moonβs Poetic Circle is something you founded. So, what can you tell us about it?
Maja MilojkoviΔ: It was my wish to gather poets from ZajeΔar for the first time, coming from Area Felix, the only co-ed poetry club, of which I am one of three founders.
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Iβm active on Facebook, and I have a website under the name Area Feliks. Iβm also the editor of the international magazine for creative literature and culture Area Felix.
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In 2018, we went to Rtanj at the invitation of Dr. Milan MladenoviΔ and his wife, Sve Marija Romanova. At that moment, I decided to appoint my influential and dear friend as the president of the association.
Therefore, it later became a tradition to gather at the Sokolski dom (Milandar) under Mt. Rtanj, hosted by our beloved friends. Last year, we edited an international poetry anthology with the influential Doctor of Philosophy, Pra Milan of Lusatia. I brought together 116 authors from all continents, many of whom are my Facebook friends. And, the anthology was printed under the title βRtanj Versesβ by the first publishing house from Serbia, Sfairos, founded by Dr. Milan MladenoviΔ.
Biljana LetiΔ: How can readers find you on social media?
Maja MilojkoviΔ: Iβm active on Facebook, and I have a website under the name Area Feliks. Iβm also the editor of the international magazine for creative literature and culture Area Felix. Additionally, Iβm the founder and vice president of the association Rtanj and the Moonβs Poetic Circle and the founder of the Facebook group of the same name, which currently has 800 members. Moreover, you can also find me on Instagram, or contact me via email at:
areafelix019@gmail.com
Two Poems by Maja MilojkoviΔ:
FOLLOW ME
I give you a secret sign β follow the white rabbit.
My tattoo on the shoulder speaks.
Oh yes, I forgot β we’re not in the Matrix.
I want you to be my companion;
but you donβt know how to read the signs;
that the Universe places;
through numbers and in a childβs speech.
There is a heavenly illustrator whose pen writes horoscope signs.
The future is laid out clearly, like on the palm of a hand;
like an answer to a prayer.
But instead of watching;
you sleep and dream of me in a silky nightgown;
not realizing I wear it because itβs hot on this burning night β
not to provoke your senses.
I offer you a path to walk without material desires;
so we may head to the Himalayas;
where we will see with different eyes.
Weβll dive into a mountain of snow;
inside which lies a world of abundance.
Close your eyes and follow me.
Iβll take you there, fellow traveler;
when you learn that tattoos speak,
when you recognize the signposts written with a golden quill β
then we wonβt need a body made of earth.
Follow me, and Iβll take you to where abundance is born of awakened dreams.
And when you step there; you wonβt want to return β
but first, wish for it.
β¦.
THE END AND THE BEGINNING
Just as the crescent moon slices the starry canvas with its delicate arc;
from that memory, comets are born β
brief flares that shine and disappear.
When they burn out in the darkness;
we raise our eyes to the sky;
and in that moment, we place a wish into our hearts.
When a person leaves this world;
voices turn into songs β
celebrations of the journey and of the final return.
The universe weighs everything with care;
measuring pain and joy equally;
as if every inhale were a blessing;
and every exhale a warning of impermanence.
Let life flow, caressed by blessings;
but it too walks toward death.
For all that is beautiful is born of the transient;
and every poem reaches its final verse;
so that in silence;
a new beginning may be born.
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Biljana LetiΔ
Biljana LetiΔ is a native of Belgrade, living in Brisbane, Australia for almost three decades. She is also a radio host for ZZZZ β a famous radio station in Australia. Moreover, she helps in interviews for the e-magazine AREA FELIX.