Katarina Sarić lives and creates between her native Budva and Belgrade. At FF Nikšić she graduated with a degree in philosophy and then language and South Slavic literature, at FPN Podgorica she is completing postgraduate studies in social policy and social work.
Katarina Sarić writes socially-engaged poetry, prose and essays. She is a writer, poetic provocateur and performance artist. She is the author of 13 independent editions, represented in numerous co-authors, anthologies, collections, on all major regional portals. Scientific works have been written about her poetry and prose. Her works were awarded, translated and published in the region but also on the global literary scene.
You can’t know
You
who weren’t born at sea
how to love
flood every opening and entrance
how the mouth and pupils flood from the water
then wither when leaves
the one who loves the summer
How to salute with a broad smile
through a burnt throat
how it dictates
the phone number at the overcrowded station left for your nightmare
evil
worst
How you fall over a suitcase
as the earth moves and you fall into it
While you’re dragging yourself through back alleys without even knowing why you go home
you don’t need a home
in a city
at sea
in which everyone wants to be a guest
and be seen
Who pass by and leave their every trace
and you stay and you have to be like the rock
for all those who will return and leave again
You can’t know that
You
from the continent
how to dive and surface
how to dream
in the open sea
and how to catch a breath after the wreckage of a shipwreck
What’s it like when you have and then don’t
when they come and go
how the city gates creak
from pomegranates to heath
from storm to breeze
And you’re shining on a cliff
like sun-disk of Mitra
raising and lowering the flag
with blue hands abraded by salt
You can’t know
How weathers
how hurts
how loves
the one who welcomes and greets
The one who’s been parting since he was born
© Translated from Serbian to English by Ilija Stanković
For other contributions by Katarina Sarić, please follow the link below:
Published with the permission of Katarina Sarić