Alpinist

A hundred problems and here I am, lamed
I’m a bad alpinist, so ashamed

Puzzled by my own disability, I beg
My neck is stiff, can’t move my leg

My body resists from head to toe
Help me a bit, I’m not a foe

Every breath is a cliffhanger, fellows,
pressure decreases and fear grows

Cups of coffee cross my mind twice,
to me an inspiration, to you a vice

A view of the hill made my eyes bleed,
time to spring up; come on, kid

If you fail me I’ll become a pervert
and believe me, that could hurt

I look at her with a radiant face,
her eyes tell me: “You’re a disgrace”

I cowardly bow out, blushing,
“The toilets need some flushing”

My gambler’s soul finds the queen too risky
I left her alone; what’s wrong with me?

 

Truth

Truth is ambiguous, truth is nameless
Truth is what I think and say to you
Truth is when I lie too.

Truth is, we grow up truthless, I heard
Truth is, we refer to someone else’s word

Truth is, over ourselves we lose power
Truth is, that makes our souls sour,
Truth is, authority is overrated,
Truth is, we walk spiritually naked.

Truth is, I would certainly be like you
If only I had a bit more influence
Truth is, for a small soul,
an oltar doesn’t make any difference.

Truth is, friendship is degraded
Truth is, our Christian feelings have faded

Truth is, to wealth and prosperity we aspire
The end justifies the means, shoot low, open fire

We missed the intellectual progress, nevermind
Truth is, we don’t belong to the same kind

Truth is, they always praise distinctions with delight
Truth is, we cannot live without a future bright

 

Memories of my father

The Tamiš river is silent
Your footsteps have gone quiet
I am still alive
New students arrive.

Your eyes have lost their shine
Now they glow in mine
Only the strongest ones remain
but the ending is always the same.

Love has overcome the fear
My heart and mine are clear
I see your reflection in the water
and the shadows of our ancestors.

In eternity does your soul prosper
Sadness makes my heart and soul bend
I haven’t lost a father
I’ve lost a friend.

I look into the distance
The memories of you don’t fade
I still love you
My old gray-haired dad.

 

Self-criticism

A naughty and mean being, so small,
he would easily fit in an eyeball.

He wakes up all natty and fain
One thinks: there he is, healthy again.

Helping him is not so easy
Poor thing, he’s grown old and lazy.

Who would’ve thought he’d need assistance
A being of such creativity and independence.

He puts up with his own decrepitude
All he needs is youth and cheerful attitude.

Criticism and blame make him nervous
He lives in the past; his name is glorious.

 

A bistro idyll

Nine cops like nine Jugovic brothers
In a bistro full of alcohol and smoke
Could they be afraid?
On an empty stomach, they dictate
they seal their own people’s fate

They put the people in chains
Reeducation is necessary
For masses are not accustomed
to the myth of liberty

They agree on how much order is needed
Only conscience and a pencil are missing, indeed
Same old story in the third round
The people is useless, everything’s drowned.

We are the guardians of order
let it be clear
The populace belongs in jail, don’t bother
Their end is near.

We and criminals are on the loose
Like old acquaintances who’ve escaped from the noose
Death to freedom, fascism to the people!
Pour us another drink.

 

The old drake

When rain clouds coming from all over
spoil my mood,

in verses I find shelter
They’re my spiritual food.

This affinity for rhymes I cannot tame
In the end, I forget my own name.

Life and the common people inspire me
Yet, I couldn’t make my Cvijeta happy
In my soul she remains
Over my empty sonnets she reigns.

I keep scratching my ear in my own manner
No one cares about me, my opinion doesn’t matter.

My career reaches its very end
so does youth, my once beloved friend.

Youngsters need amusement and sunshine
Get out old fart; you’ve reached the end of the line.

I live in memories, chased by the past
I’m a song that’s been sung, at last.

Therefore, it’s time to keep my mouth shut
If I don’t want a kick in the butt.

Cvijeta was right: life is short, don’t shake
live in gratitude
like an old drake
I’ll withdraw in my solitude.

 

Everything was fake…

We may have loved each other
Now it’s not so important
We’ve heard more than one whopper
Now it all seems irrelevant.

We kissed and it wasn’t fake, I guess
We’ve reached peace, more or less
Happiness haunted our minds
But “something is missing”, she finds.

Without admitting it, ashamed we felt
of the thought “Into each other we shall melt”

Fed up with truths and lies
We grew apart
Do you think it’s wise?
Yes, that decision is smart.

I’ll light a candle, no shame and no doubt
The bells are ringing, what’s the fuss about?

We loved each other deceitfully
For over a half century
That could be a Guinness record
But who cares if we scored.

Let revenge hit me
I’m just a failed poet for thee.