Tin Ujević

Tin Ujević (1891–1955). Born on the 5th of July in Vrgorac.he spend some time in Paris where he went through crises and disappointments, but after coming back to Croatia he lives as a writer. He started writing in his grammar school. The greatest number of his poems speaks about sufferings and pains as of the constant part of human life. He loved live endlessly and enjoyed its joy and beauty. Although he despised many things in life.
He was the strongest and the most original poet of the 20th century Croatian literature. His poetry rises to the interstellar spaces, but he takes his inspiration from his birthplace and from his social reality as well. His visions were turned to stars as thy symbols of eternity and the future of the world he believed in. He considered himself the descendant of that universal world. His most famous collections of poems are «Lelek sebra», «Kolajna», «Auto na korzu», «Ojađeno Zvono», «Žedan kamen na studencu».

MOLITVA ZA KORU KRUHA I ZDJELU LEĆE		THE PRAYER FOR A PIECE OF BREAD ABD A DISH OFLENTIL
Daj nam da jedemo svoju zdjelu, Pa makar leće, boba i pasulja, Glad oblizuje siti prst od ulja, A žig žalosti na našem je čelu, Kad u tanjuru ugledamo ćelu. Podaj nam svakog dana veću zdjelu, Da ne trijebimo rakove sred mulja, Da siromašni ne budemo ulja, Da odahnemo vedri, ko na selu. I makar pili vodu tek na vrelu, Potok je gori i mutne vode strana I makar pili rosicu iz dlana, nije ni crven pehar duši hrana: ....................................................................................... Da j NAMA svakog dana našu zdjelu, pa makar jeli pasulj, puru, rižu i makar pili vodu tek na vrelu, brojeći kapi što se k usni kližu, na međi šumskog puta slična križu. Daj nam uvredu, da cio svijet vidi Da smo za pedalj viši jer smo gordi, A poniženje da nas jedva stidi, Kad blisne pravda slična britkoj ćordi. ......................................................................................... Oprosti našem luku i krompiru Ako nas hrane s idealnom hranom Jer za nas nebo blista na tanjiru I krijepi crijeva zemnom tamnom manom. Oprosti našoj ljubavi kad zgriješi: Na kraju srdžbe kada nam se smiješi I kad mrzimo neprijatelja svoga, Znaj da nas spaja muških ljudi sloga, Ne biti zao, no uman u snazi I isporaviti pravicu na vazi. I daj nam oštro oko što red pazi, Daj pravdu nama i neprijatelju, dvije mrlje ulja u istomu zelju.		Oh give us to eat even if it is lentil, horse beans or beans, hunger licksthe oily fingers and the sign of sorrow appeares on our face when we see it in the bottom of an empty plate. Let our dish be greater every day that we don't have to take crabs out of the mud, don't let us be short of oil, let us be as cheerful as people in the village. Even if he had to drink water from the well because the creek is dirty and not good any more, even if we drink the dew from our palm because the red cup is not the soul's food any more: ................................................................... Give US our everyday dish even if we eat beans, maize-mash or rice, even if we drink water on the well on the crossroad in the woods, counting drops, which slip, to our lips. Give us insult that whole the world can see that we are higher then the others because we are proud, that we are not ashamed because we are humiliated because justice is as bright as a sward. ................................................................... Forgive our onion and potatoes if we should be fed by the ideals, because for us heavens shine in our plates and nourish our intestines with dark earthly food. Forgive our love when it sins when it smiles after anger, even when we hate our enemy, we are connected by man's harmony, don't let us be mean but wise and strong that we can even justice. Give us eye which will watch for order, give justice to us and our enemy, two drops of oil in the same vegetable.

It is a prayer of the poor to God. They ask for their everyday dish of simple food. They are satisfied with small things; life in the village makes them happy because the food is there. They can't strive for the ideals, because they see their ideals in their plates. They pray for forgiveness for being occupied with earthly matters, but hunger is something that blocks their mind. It is the reason of hatred, but it is also something they have in common with their enemies, so they pray for justice for both of them, «two drops of oil in the same vegetable». If there is no hunger, there will not be hatred any more.

XXX («Kolajna»)		XXX («Kolajna»)
Zelenu granu s tugom žutog voća U kakvom starom spljetskom perivoju Sanjarim s mirom dok se duša noća I vlaga snova hvata dušu moju Al' čežnja dršće kao ptiće golo, K'o plava pjesma naglo prekinuta, k'o neko blijedo i beznadno kolo, K'o bosi prosjak na pô pusta puta. Sva ljubav moja usred ceste kisne, Moje je srce od sedam komada; Pod svakim mačem jedan plam da vrisne Nad mojim dahom mramorna gromada Tmurne se misli reska svjetla boje; Krv u moždane, mozak van da skoči; Nad mojim mrakom sijevaju tek tvoje, Tuđinska ženo, samilosne oči.		I peacefully dream about green branch full of yellow fruit's sorrow in some old park of Split, while my soul becomes damp. But keen desire shivers like naked bird, as blue song suddenly interrupted, like pale and hopeless dance, like barefoot beggar in the middle of the road. All my love stands in the rain in the middle of the road, my heart falls into seven pieces, and a flame screams under each sward and my breath is covered by the marble stone. Gloomy thoughts are afraid of the sharp light, blood goes to my brain and it wants to get out of my head; only your merciful eyes, foreign lady, lighten upon my darkness.

The poem is metaphorical. The poet speaks about his sad life, and he considers himself weak and sad man. He dreams about the branch with sad yellow fruit, which symbolizes his childhood and youth, the safety which childhood offers. But his fruit is yellow and said, it became old and belongs to the past, he lost his safety. He wants to run away from his painful reality, from unhappy love to his past. In his sadness he thinks of death. Life is merciless and only the eyes of one-woman can brought him happiness.