Ride a tiger
You had a cigarette flame in your eye
Shining through your blurry eyeballs,
You were young, twenty and something,
Still not measuring life with number
of grays, and when they said, finally,
That you have to go you packed up
Leftovers of bread and common smile
Taking a ride on Bengali tiger’s broad back,
On the freaky carousel that was too fast
For you to leave the saddle or even jump,
Switch the place, find a fragile swan,
Or proud, glassy unicorn– born again,
on the carousel that was slow enough
to rewind all the mistakes you made,
the same mistakes, standing around,
patient like monks, evil-eyed, cross,
waiting for the carousel to stop.
— by Aleksandar Novakovich
1975, Belgrade, Serbia. Graduated historian and dramatist. MA graduate in theatrical studies at University Of Arts, Belgrade. Theatrical case-study: “How Tito was Smashing Pumpkins.” Plays: The System; Teeth, Aladin’s MYSTERY LAMP. Books of aphorisms: Drink Socrates, The State Pays; No Can Do. Book of plays: Closeness. Novels: Glecer (Glacier), Celtic tale. Awards: Josip Kulundzic (2004) — for dramatists, Award of Radio-Belgrade (2003) for original radio-play, Politika’s Vib’s Award (aphorisms), John McGrath Scholarship, University of Edinburgh, Scotland (2007), Mali Nemo (2008).
Copyright ©2008, by Aleksandar Novakovich. All Rights Reserved.
