Milkovich, Branko

Branko Milkovich was born in Nis , moved to Belgrade in 1953. He received a philosophical education at the University of Belgrade (1953-1957). I went to the editorial offices, trying to print. ^[2] As a student, he joined a group of neosymbolists (1956). ^[3] In 1957, Milkovich’s first collection, "Vain Awakening," was released. ^[4] Branco led a bohemian lifestyle. Conflicted with the regime. During his short life, he published five poetry books, wrote critical articles and essays, and translated from French, Russian, and Slovenian languages. ^[4] Killed under mysterious circumstances at the age of 27: was found hanging from a tree. The official version is suicide. ^[one]

The creativity of Milkovich was influenced by the symbolist poets Mallarmé and Valerie . In addition, the teachings of the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus had a great influence on his poetry. ^[2]

In his style, Milkovich sought to combine modern methods and classical forms, for example, Branko revived the form of a sonnet . ^[2] His poems are the struggle for perfection and the dilemma: is there a poet - a master of words or do they rule the poet? ^[1] Milkovich believed that new artistic ideas should be expressed in classical forms. ^[4] The poet Alexander Ulanov , criticizing the wreath of sonnets and the clichéd-overheated emotionality of early Milkovich, on the contrary, believes that the influence of free poetry was liberating for the poet. ^[five]

In the collection "Death Against Death", the poet tried his hand in the genre of civil poetry. Chanting the soldier’s self-sacrifice in the name of others, he admits that space can be reclaimed from nonexistence not only with the help of the word, but also with “death corrected by death”.

Milkovich neglected traditional subjective lyrics. The poet has practically no poems about love. Poetry is the fruit of the “pathos of the mind,” not the heart.

Like the surrealists , Milkovich turns to the “other side of being” - to night and emptiness, in which he tries to find the meaning of “integral” existence. However, automatic writing is alien to him; he sets about his task in full consciousness. The collection “Fire and Nothing” expresses a desire to see glimpses of meaning in the form of symbols in objective reality. Milkovich’s “transpersonal” poetry is called to “revive” philosophical categories. The poet devoted many poems to fire (the former source of Heraclitus ). In his poems, Milkovich tries to express the “primordial principle” of all things, the terrifying original “emptiness” and “silence” in which life and death are not yet separated. ^{[4] [6]}

Since 1971, there is a poetry award named after Branko Milkovich. ^[7]

Films dedicated to Branko Milkovich:

• “Fire and Nothing”, 1995 (director Marislav Radislavlevich). ^[eight]
• "The Prince of Poetry" - Branko Milkovich "(director Miomir Stamenkovich). ^[9]

• “Vain Awakening” (1957)
• “Death against death” (1959, together with Blage Schepanovich)
• The Origin of Hope (1960)
• “Fire and Nothing” (1960)
• “Krv Koјa Svetly” (1961)

• S. A. Nebolsin, J. Ya. Stanisic. 20th century Serbian poets: Commented anthology
• Website of International Radio of Serbia about Branko Milkovic
• A page dedicated to Branko Milkovic on a site about Serbo-Croatian poetry. (eng.)