The Horse Has Six Legs: An Anthology of Serbian Poetry [Paperback]

Charles Simic (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1992

tr Simic

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Dyed with pessimism, touched by modernism, and bloodied by recent history, Serbian poetry has flourished, especially over the past 40 years. Simic, a former U.S. poet laureate, grew up in Serbia, and this collection of his translations shows both vernacular vigor and sensitivity to the poets' varied temperaments—grim and laconic, satirically expansive, lyrically embittered, or jocular. The shorter first edition of his anthology, from 1992, became a classic of poems in translation: Simic (whose honors include a Pulitzer Prize) has added six poets to the original set of 18. The oldest named poet here (not counting oral-traditional songs) died just before the Second World War, while the youngest came to maturity during the violent breakup of Yugoslavia. Rasa Livada's long Horoscope reacts to the recent disasters of the Balkans and to the end of the Communist dream, somewhere between the electric west and the utopian east/ that which was 10 minutes ago utopia is now reality out of reach. The well-known Ivan Lalic comes across as a serious love poet, praising The taste of the storm in the stalk of the invisible rose/ That you twirl absentmindedly between your fingers. Most of the poetry, though, strikes gloomier notes. Ljubomir Slovic delivers a compact curse (May your wife knead dust,/ rain's bread dough), while Branko Miljkovic seeks ecstatic extremes: Empty what's in my lap/ And take my heart... Under the empty heavens the falconers cry. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Review

If I Knew I'd Bear Myself Proudly by Metija Beckovic
No One Will Write Poetry by Metija Beckovic
Two Worlds by Metija Beckovic
Yevtushenko by Metija Beckovic
Blue Frog Kisses My Sweetheart by Liljana Djurdjic
I Carry My Black Sheep Back To Her Herd by Liljana Djurdjic
Lucifer by Liljana Djurdjic
Unfulfilled Love by Liljana Djurdjic
Classic Verses by Rade Drainac
Landscape by Rade Drainac
Leaf by Rade Drainac
My Hunger Is Infinite And My Hands Always Empty by Rade Drainac
Opus Iii, Sels. by Rade Drainac
When Poet Without Lying Verses In His Heart Returns To Native, Sels. by Rade Drainac
Voyvodina by Ivan Gadjanski
Barbarians by Jovan Hristic
Evening Quiet by Jovan Hristic
In A Dark Hour by Jovan Hristic
In The Big Library by Jovan Hristic
A Sentimental Voyage Around My Room by Jovan Hristic
That Night They All Gathered On The Highest Tower by Jovan Hristic
To Phaedrus by Jovan Hristic
The Tragedy Is Over by Jovan Hristic
Addressing The Comet by Ivan V. Lalic
Broadcast by Ivan V. Lalic
First Actor To Hamlet by Ivan V. Lalic
Insomnia by Ivan V. Lalic
Love In July by Ivan V. Lalic
Raven's Monologue by Ivan V. Lalic
Roll Call Of Mirrors by Ivan V. Lalic
Spring Liturgy For Branko Miljkovic, Sels. by Ivan V. Lalic
Voices Of The Dead by Ivan V. Lalic
Horoscope by Rasa Livada
Bloody Fable by Desanka Maksimovic
Darkness by Desanka Maksimovic
For Maria Magdalenes by Desanka Maksimovic
Snake by Desanka Maksimovic
Agon by Branco Miljkovic
Ballade by Branco Miljkovic
Black Horseman by Branco Miljkovic
Everyone Will Write Poetry by Branco Miljkovic
In Praise Of Plants: 5 by Branco Miljkovic
Miners by Branco Miljkovic
The Sea Before I Start Dreaming by Branco Miljkovic
Sea Without Poets by Branco Miljkovic
Shepherd's Flute by Branco Miljkovic
Sleepers by Branco Miljkovic
Sun by Branco Miljkovic
Burial by Momcilo Nastasijevic
Deaf Things: 1 by Momcilo Nastasijevic
Deaf Things: 10 by Momcilo Nastasijevic
Deaf Things: 2 by Momcilo Nastasijevic
Deaf Things: 3 by Momcilo Nastasijevic
Deaf Things: 6 by Momcilo Nastasijevic
Gray Moment by Momcilo Nastasijevic
Roadside Fountain by Momcilo Nastasijevic
Still Trees by Momcilo Nastasijevic
The String by Momcilo Nastasijevic
To My Dead Sister by Momcilo Nastasijevic
Flying Temple by Milorad Pavic
Great Serbian Migration 1690 by Milorad Pavic
Holy Mass For Relja Krilatica: Eighth Song by Milorad Pavic
Holy Mass For Relja Krilatica: Fifth Song by Milorad Pavic
Holy Mass For Relja Krilatica: First Song by Milorad Pavic
Holy Mass For Relja Krilatica: Fourth Song by Milorad Pavic
Holy Mass For Relja Krilatica: Ninth Sing by Milorad Pavic
Holy Mass For Relja Krilatica: Seventh Song by Milorad Pavic
Holy Mass For Relja Krilatica: Sixth Song by Milorad Pavic
Holy Mass For Relja Krilatica: Third Song by Milorad Pavic
The Swing Over The Calm Source Of Our Names by Milorad Pavic
Morning Inscription by Miodrag Pavlovic
Questionnaire Of Sleeplessness by Miodrag Pavlovic
Games: Ashes by Vasko Popa
Games: Hide-and-seek by Vasko Popa
Games: Hunter by Vasko Popa
Games: Rose Thieves by Vasko Popa
Yawn Of Yawns: Burning Shewolf by Vasko Popa
Yawn Of Yawns: Forgetful Number by Vasko Popa
Yawn Of Yawns: Last News About The Little Box by Vasko Popa
Yawn Of Yawns: Proud Error by Vasko Popa
Yawn Of Yawns: The Admirers Of The Little Box by Vasko Popa
Yawn Of Yawns: The Benefactors Of The Little Box by Vasko Popa
Yawn Of Yawns: The Craftsmen Of The Little Box by Vasko Popa
Yawn Of Yawns: The Enemies Of The Little Box by Vasko Popa
Yawn Of Yawns: The Judges Of The Little Box by Vasko Popa
Yawn Of Yawns: The Little Box by Vasko Popa
Yawn Of Yawns: The Owners Of The Little Box by Vasko Popa
Yawn Of Yawns: The Prisoners Of The Little Box by Vasko Popa
Yawn Of Yawns: The Tale About A Tale by Vasko Popa
Yawn Of Yawns: The Tenants Of The Little Box by Vasko Popa
Yawn Of Yawns: The Victims Of The Little Box by Vasko Popa
About Death And Other Things by Aleksandar Ristovic
Dead Leaves by Aleksandar Ristovic
Despair by Aleksandar Ristovic
Flirting With A Pig by Aleksandar Ristovic
Gingerbread Heart by Aleksandar Ristovic
The Law by Aleksandar Ristovic
Maids by Aleksandar Ristovic
Monastic Outhouse by Aleksandar Ristovic
Old Motif by Aleksandar Ristovic
Out In The Open by Aleksandar Ristovic
Outhouse by Aleksandar Ristovic
Untitled by Aleksandar Ristovic
Breakfast by Ljubomir Simovic
Crucifixion by Ljubomir Simovic
Curses by Ljubomir Simovic
Epitaph by Ljubomir Simovic
Epitaphs From Karansko Cemetery by Ljubomir Simovic
Notation In Gold by Ljubomir Simovic
One Evening by Ljubomir Simovic
Traveling Star by Ljubomir Simovic
Antipsalm by Novica Tadic
At The Hairdresser (phantasmagoria) by Novica Tadic
Die by Novica Tadic
A Feather Plucked From The Tail Of The Fiery Hen by Novica Tadic
The Fool by Novica Tadic
I Ask by Novica Tadic
I Run With A Pair Of Compasses Stuck In The Back Of My Head by Novica Tadic
Jesus by Novica Tadic
Little Picture Catalogue by Novica Tadic
The Night Game Of The Maker Of Faces by Novica Tadic
Nobody by Novica Tadic
Pocket Watch by Novica Tadic
The Rose by Novica Tadic
Song To The Lamb by Novica Tadic
Text, Silk by Novica Tadic
Thief by Novica Tadic
Toys, Dream by Novica Tadic
Brotherless Sisters by Anonymous
A Girl Threw An Apple To A Cloud by Anonymous
Message Of King Sakis And The Legend Of 12 Dreams He Had In One Night by Anonymous
Plow, Maro, The Plains by Anonymous
The Sky Is Strewn With Stars by Anonymous
The Smallest Basil Leaf Was Heard To Whimper by Anonymous
There Smoke, Sooty Smoke by Anonymous
Wind Blows, One An Smell The Wild Rosemary by Anonymous
Cyril And Methodius, Sels. by Aleksandar Vuco
Duende by Nina Zivancevic
Florence by Nina Zivancevic
Kindergarten Curse by Nina Zivancevic
A Poem With A Tilde In The Title by Nina Zivancevic
-- Table of Poems from Poem Finder®

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Product Details

• Paperback: 222 pages
• Publisher: Graywolf Press (July 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555971652
• ISBN-13: 978-1555971656
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,555,452 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Only Lacking More..., January 18, 2000

By 

EriKa "E" (Iceland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Horse Has Six Legs: An Anthology of Serbian Poetry (Paperback)

Simic has selected a fine array of poetry for this volume. The only problem is that the volume suffers from lack of ambition. There are simply not enough poets represented nor poems representative of Serbian writing. Otherwise, I loved this book, but I felt it needed to be more expansive.

Overall this is an excellent overview. Particularly I note the poet Ivan Lalic (and the exquisite poem "Love in July") and also the poet Novica Tadic who employs rather disturbing and disconnected imagery in his poetry. Most interesting (and well known) is the poem entitled "Jesus." Brief but thought provoking.

Deserving of praise, this volume, as stated, needs to be of greater length.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lovely., February 3, 2004

By 

Robert P. Beveridge "xterminal" (Lakewood, OH) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Horse Has Six Legs: An Anthology of Serbian Poetry (Paperback)

Charles Simic, ed., The Horse Has Six Legs: An Anthology of Serbian Poetry (Graywolf, 1992)

This is one of the better anthologies of verse I've come across in quite a while. Simic, a native Serbian himself, has an obvious love for his subject and, one would assume, a greater knowledge of history and cultural context than a translator going in fresh with this material. As any translator worth his salt will tell you, these qualities are the difference between a translation with falls flat and one which breathes; word choice is everything.

The "name" here (to Western audiences, anyway) is Milorad Pavic, whose novel The Dictionary of the Khazars was a literary sensation in the late eighties, translated into many languages and finding the bestseller lists of a number of western countries. But once you've been drawn by the name, linger over the rest of the work here. The whole collection shines with a sophisticated grasp of the surrealist ethic which much of modern American poetry is lacking; many of the poets here, such as Vasco Popa and Ivan Lalic, would stand at the same level of achievement as Eshleman, Willis, or Stroffolino on the short shelf of sacred books, where modern surrealism is concerned.

If there is a quibble to be had with the book, it's that it's simply too short. Simic does explain this in his foreword (he only included the translations he's most satisfied with as a poet as well as a translator). Thus, we have to be happy with what we have and hope he releases a volume 2 some time in the future. *** ½

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful collection of poetry!, January 16, 2001

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CoffeeGurl - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Horse Has Six Legs: An Anthology of Serbian Poetry (Paperback)

There isn't a better collection of poetry with magical realism than this one! I marvel at Charles Simic's ability to translate such complicated and beautiful poetry. I love all of the poems in this book, especially Desanka Maksimovic's "Bloody Fable," Vasko Popa's "Proud Error," and "There Smoke, Sooty Smoke," from a collection of Women's Songs. Do you love poetry with surreal and dark messages? Then I suggest that you get this incredible book!