POETRY
Serbian Literature / Serbian Poetry
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BUTTERFLIES
— POEM by
Maja Milojković
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My butterflies are my pets
whom I lead to the pasture of dreams.
They compete in the beauty of their wings,
and playfully fly among poppies
that color the meadows red.
They flow through a heavenly symphony,
and material observation.
Human curiosity longs to ruin their wings by touch;
They wish to gather the dust of gentle bodies,
and hold it in their palms;
Yet by doing so, they steal their breath.
How do they not understand?
All beauty is created
to connect us with Divine Beauty;
Yet people, out of selfishness,
claim, seize, and imprison it in insectariums
to remind themselves of the beauty
of an already lifeless body.
It is painful to witness,
how butterflies suffer
while exposed to a slow dying.
O my beauties, how could I hide you?
How could I breathe life into you
while a pin destroys your bodies?
O my souls, guardians of my flock,
I cannot restrain the joy of your flight,
for it summons misfortune,
nor can I preserve your beauty.
I cry out while my echo
resounds against the cold, nearby mountain.
God, protect these gentle souls
from the lethal human gaze.
….
(Self-translation from SERBIAN)
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Maja Milojković
Born in 1975 in Zaječar, she lived in Bor, Serbia and currently she lives between Serbia and Denmark. She holds an accolade of internationally recognized poet who advocates for peace in the world. Moreover, she is the deputy editor at “Sfairos” printing house in Belgrade, Serbia. Also, she is the vice-president of the association “Rtanj and Mesečev peski krug”. Since, Maja is a person whose blood has been running from Leonardo da Vinci’s statement “Painting is poetry that can be seen, and poetry is a picture that can be heard.” Additionally, she is a painter and reviewer.
As a poet, Maja is represented in numerous domestic and foreign literary newspapers, anthologies and electronic media, and some of her songs are also available on YouTube. Also, she is the winner of many international awards. And, she is an activist of many associations and organizations, for peace in the world, against violence against animals, racism, etc. Furthermore, Maja Milojković is the author of 2 books: “The Circle of the Moon”- 2019 and “Trees of Desire”- 2023. Besides, her poems have been translated into English, Hungarian, Bengali, Urdu, Pashto, Hindi and Bulgarian.
Nevertheless, Maja is also a member of the poetry club “Area Felix” from Zaječar, Serbia, and a member of the literary club “Zlatno pero” from Knjaževac, Serbia. And, she is also a member of the International Association of Writers and Artists “Gorski vidici” (“Mountain Views”) from Podgorica, Montenegro and other international organizations.
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