KONSTANTIN MILADINOV
1830-1862

Born in Struga and graduated in Philology at Athens, Miladinov embarked on further studies in Moscow. With the help of his brother Dimitar, he brought out a 'Collection of Folk Poems' (1860), which helped in arousing the Macedonian people. Miladinov, the first notable poet of 19th century, wrote a total number of fifteen poems in which the elegiac note is dominant.

LONGING FOR THE SOUTH

If I had an eagle's wings
I would rise and fly on them
To our shores, to our own parts
To see Stamboul, to see Kukus;
And to watch the sunrise: is it
Dim there too as is here?

If the sun still rises dimly
If it meets me there as here
I'll prepare for further travels
I shall flee to other shores
Where the sunrise greets me brightly
And the sky is sewn with stars.

It is dark here; darkness surrounds me,
It covers all the earth,
Here are frosts and snows and ashes,
Blizzards and harsh winds abound.
Fogs all around, the earth is ice,
And in our breast cold, dark thoughts.

No, I cannot stay here, no;
I cannot look upon these frosts.
Give me wings and I will don them;
I will fly to our own shores,
Go once more to our own places,
Go to Ohrid and to Struga.

There the sunrise warms the soul,
The sun sets bright in mountain woods:
Younder gifts in great profusion
Richly spread by nature's power.
See the clear lake stretching white
Its blueness darkened by the wind
Look at the plains or mountains:
Beauty's everywhere divine.
To pipe there to my heart's content!
Ah! let the sun set, let me die.