kosovke devojke

A final set of images from my contemplative weekend walk around the parks in the centre of Belgrade.

Across the street from the fountains of Андрићев Венац, another small park composed of a few terraced areas shaded by trees.

Along the side, steps run down past faded buildings. Graffiti once more adorns the walls.

We are now beyond the steely gaze of Andrić.

I am struck by the title of a street which at the top is barely more than a flight of stairs.

Turning to Wikipedia for inspiration, all I could find was a piece about a poem entitled “The Kosovo Maiden or Maiden of the Blackbird Field” (Serbian: Kosovka devojka, Косовка девојка)

Sadly, I am no great student of the Serbian language, hence the importance of the “a” at the end of each word replacing the “e” in the title of the street has so far eluded me. My apologies for my ignorance.

However, the story of the Kosovo Maiden is worth a read if you have time.

The article in Wikipedia records that the poem became popular as a symbol of womanly compassion and charity.

The final words of the poem leave an impression, although perhaps not the most promising…

“O wretch! Evil is your fortune!
If I, a wretch, were to grasp a green pine,
Even the green pine would wither.”