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Brotherhood and Sisterhood

Brotherhood and Sisterhood

Mile Stojić

Bratstvo i sestrinstvo

If I were to be born again
and could choose, I would choose neither
this language, nor this vocation.

Neither this sign of faith, nor this faith
without hope. I would not accept
murderers teaching me justice.

I would not pick this time,
nor this country where there is no
solace. Nor these brothers who have

sold me. Nor this nation which
sacrifices her sons to the golden
calf. I would throw away my

name. Only would I choose
You again, whom I touch
a thousand times every day

with a look of devotion and bliss.

Kada bih se ponovo rodio
i mogao birati, ne bih izabrao
ovaj jezik, ni ovo zanimanje.

Ni ovaj znak vjere, ni ovu vjeru
bez nade. Ne bih prihvatio
da me ubojice uče pravdi.

Ne bih izabrao ovo vrijeme
ni ovu zemlju u kojoj utjehe
nema. Ni ovu braću koja su me

prodala. Ni ovaj narod što
svoje sinove prinosi teletu
od zlata. Bacio bih svoje

ime. Jedino bih ponovo
izabrao tebe, što te u svakom
danu tisuću puta dodirnem

pogledom odanosti i sjaja.

NOTE: This poem first appeared in Bosnian in the book Među zavađenim narodima.

Sara Elaqad

NOTE: This poem first appeared in the magazine Spirit of Bosnia.

Translation
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Mile Stojić

Mile Stojić was editor-in-chief of the newspaper Odjek (Echo) in Sarajevo between the years 1989 and 1992. He left Sarajevo in 1992 and worked for the paper Tjednik (Weekly) in Zagreb, but then soon left for Vienna, where he lectured South Slavic literature. Today he lives and works in Sarajevo. His poetry is politically engaged, but also nostalgic. The most recent of his numerous books is Dunia and he has won several poetry awards.

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