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Moma Dimić, Serbia

TWO HAIKU POETS

Stefanović Tatjana; Živković D. Zoran: Haiku cvet/ A Haiku Flower (Literary Club «Branko Ćopić», Belgrade, edition Zlatna knjiga, 2006); for the publisher: Moma Dimić; editor: Nikola Vitas; translation into English: Gorica Apostolović and Nevena Stevanović; cover design: Sanja Jović; pp. 71; 21 cm; ISBN 86-81203-71-1.

Clips from the outside world (nature) and experience of them in all four seasons transferred into haiku verses by Tatjana Stefanović, no matter how well chosen and condensed, capture our attention with their touching, authentic images and human intimacy. Her eye is as sensitive as an ancient darkroom for developing photos. She carefully observes changes and rituals of nature and time, coming to the heart of them. In addition, she consistently observes haiku rules and principles. For her, spring is full of movements and dynamics, tender warmness and intimate sights. Like an excellent painter, Tatjana Stefanović chooses the angels of observation, perceives the basic, exclusive events, the unity of complementary occurrences, contrasts of elements. From her fluttering spring exterior of cherry blossoms, dandelions, fireflies, nests, she transfer us, with the same ease and harmony, to the zeal of summer insomnia, ancient sights and people in a village, she introduces us to the drama of empty sheepfolds and idle spinning wheels, withered grasses, blisters on feet. In autumn, as «peacocks are walking by the ripe plums», sleepiness (drowsiness) of nature is already felt, as well as the coming of storm and the ruling of the east wind and fog. Autumn is again movement, not the one of coming to this world, but that of leaving it, following the traces of a flock of «white birds» and moving trucks.

The winter of Tatjana Stefanović is a treasury of unforgettable images we've been carrying with us since our childhood: knee-deep snow, Christmas trees, Yule logs, barking dogs... Winter feels like a prolonged, numb time, in which joys flash in a moment, as is the case with symbols of isolation and man's weakness (even on New Year's Eve).

Zoran D. Živković writes his own biography in haiku verses. Of course, with the hallmark characteristic for this shortest of poetic forms. He is also, like the poetess Tatjana Stefanović, faithful to the haiku mater (5-7-5), but is different in everything else. Avoiding common views of «four seasons», Zoran Živković in these four circles, confronts directly with, for him (but not only for him), obsessive worlds of phenomena and experienced categories, his fields of desire and - fate.

Here we find, not accidentally, chosen chapters of «nature», «love», «road», «smile». Živković does not find image to be of primary importance; for him that place belongs to spiritual phrasing of his own situation, concept and measure of existence. He doesn't paint a drop of rain, but their sequence in time, captured just at the moments when «they (the drops) are kissing.» Thus, not relying on the described action or condition, Živković ascribes adds, builds, interweaves dream and reality. He does not follow actions and conditions from their origin nor builds them in a sequence, but rather perceives and formulates them as they are. His expression is feverish, jammed with words (adjectives, mostly), condensed, but clear, trembling and full of intensity. This Van Gorgonianself-portrait of his haiku mosaic is, therefore, a successful one, and as such, it will always conjure this smiling and in love gray-haired young man ON THE ROAD, handed over to the mercy of a tired poet's nature, but not taken over by sleep and «a bluebell on the table».

In any case, with this Haiku Flower we have come to know two new and exciting haiku novices.

Editor's choice:

Tatjana Stefanović

Waving my fan.
The cat's eyes shining
in the darkness.

How steep the curves
along the river are.
Freezing rain.

Keeps on snowing...
From time to time, a dog barks
outside my window.

Zoran D. Živković

The roar of a beautiful river.
I take a deep breath
to feel each water drop.

Cherry buds
lengthen the branch
with flowery whiteness.