The "Mirko Banjević" literary award was awarded to Kralj and Bajović

The poets, Milica Kralj and Spasoj Bajović, were presented with the "Mirko Banjević" literary award, which is awarded by the eponymous Literary Association (KZ) from Nikšić, for published books of poetry in 2021 and 2022.

Milica Kralj received the award for the collection "Čisanice" (2021), and Bajović for the book of poems "Put u vatru" (2022). Awards were also presented for the first published book - to Marko Sandić from Pljevlja for the book "Silent Forgiveness" (2021) and to Milisava Rosić from Mojkovac for the collection "Drugi svijet" (2021).

The awardees were decided by a jury composed of Dragan Koprivica (president) and Radoje Femić and Aleksandar Ćuković (members), and the decisions were made unanimously.

Koprivica pointed out that Kralj writes according to the old golden rule that words should be narrow and thoughts should be broad, with the dominance of powerful poetic emotion.

"He often starts from a small, seemingly not so significant detail, and then builds an entire poem from it, like a poetic sign, a medallion, a poetic pearl. Unlike some poets who lack an ear for the musical side of a poem, Milica also has an innate musical sensibility that conveys into songs precisely with great rhymes and metrical rules of verse through subtle deviations and unexpected stylistic solutions", said Koprivica.

In the award-winning collection, according to him, the author makes a vicious circle by singing a hundred songs about one song, paying tribute to old, somewhat forgotten words and coins.

"With the poetry book 'Path into the Fire', Bajović created a truly lyrical mosaic of pain, serving as a sort of requiem for the victims of the Dol of Piva. The symbol of fire emphasized in the title of the poetry book, was developed beyond the stereotypical symbolism bordered by the Promethean archetype," said Femić, speaking about Bajović's award-winning book. .

According to him, in terms of genre, it is a poem whose constitutive poetic elements participate in the formation of a unique image of the world - an image that exudes bitterness and a voiceless cry over the fate of hundreds of innocently killed citizens of Pivlja.

"Concentrated around four poetic cycles, the poems consistently nurture an elegiac intonation that sometimes turns into a cry. The hymnal solemnity of Bajović's poetry is provided by the lofty prayer-confessional tone with which this incomprehensible tragedy is transposed according to the principles of lyrical expression," Femić pointed out, adding that Bajović's poetry is not melodic. neither comforting, but in it "the wounds are so alive and sharp that they mobilize the reader's spirit to true sorrow and silent prayer".

Ćuković, speaking about the book "Silent Farewell" by Marko Sandić, pointed out that it is a collection that offers a unique view of the world, bold and clear.

"Its author is focused on meaning, persistent in his search and grateful for the opportunity to wander through the secrets of man and the cosmos embodied in tangible everyday life, which he uses as a medium for reading and loading some higher and deeper purpose," said Ćuković.

When it comes to the poetry collection "The Other World" by Rosić, the author, according to Ćuković, is in a permanent poetic search for meaning, for unraveling those secrets that have inspired mankind since time immemorial and in the failure to find which he remains (un)satisfied and (un)secure we exist.

Award-winning poets treated the audience with verses, but also with a short address. Milica Kralj pointed out that poetry is, above all, a way of life - action, passion, strength and renewal that pushes boundaries. She said that Banjević's poetic word "surpassed, exceeded and overcame both time and space" and became "a personal and special form of singing with restless and restless verse".

"Special thanks to the city of art - the city of Nikšić, which occupies a unique place in the coordinating art system, the one that can be considered and understood as the birthplace of the poetic word. I share the joy that this recognition brings us with fellow winners, fellow poets, both in bed and breakfast. by insomnia, poets whose poetics, I believe, leave a mark in time, and continue in that fluid direction and the world of Mirko Banjević's poetic atmosphere," said Kralj.

Bajović pointed out that the award brought him back to the past, when he "made his first poetic ecstasies under the literary banner of Mirko Banjević".

"I never even went under that flag. How to go under the flag of a respected poet, a revolutionary whose verses came from hunger and thirst, from the anger of insomnia and a journey through fire. That literary flag has always remained in my heart, and this award further motivates me to persist and persevere", said Bajović.

Sandić recalled that he promoted the award-winning collection for the first time in Nikšić, a city that is "a great nursery of poets", while Rosić pointed out that the award gives him a big wind at his back and expressed the hope that there will be more literary events in the future.

The President of the CC "Mirko Banjević", Radislav Gardašević, reminded that the Community was founded in 1979, but that it first functioned as a literary club, that it bears the name of a famous Montenegrin poet and revolutionary, and that members publish books in the "Vow" edition, which was named after Banjević's first song in the poem "Sutjeska". Speaking about Banjević, he pointed out that he was unique, with a special poetic nerve. He expressed the hope that the local administration will meet them and provide a space where creators, as well as lovers of the written word, could gather and exchange ideas.

The award ceremony was also attended by the president of the Association of Writers of Montenegro, Novica Đurić, who pointed out that when creators donate poetry, they donate themselves.

"I am glad that in these ten years we managed to rebuild the Association and welcome twenty young, extremely gifted and educated people. Poetry has always been and remains a 'rebellion of the mind' and that from that root grew all the poetry of this world and as long as it will be" rebellion of the mind' will also be good poetry. A writer must always be a rebel in order to awaken in other people the awareness of disagreement with what is not good in the time they live in," said Đurić, alluding to the title of Banjević's collection "Rebellion of the Mind", published in 1930 .years.

The evening, which was organized by KZ "Mirko Banjević" as part of the November repertoire of the Nikšić literary scene, was led by art historian Kristina Radović, who introduced the audience to the biographies of the award-winning poets.