A Translators’ Note There are people who spend all the paper in the world and still write nothing; and then, there are those who write almost nothing, and contain a whole world. Mrs. Slavica’s poetry very much belongs to the latter. Often desolate and gritty, yet equally lively and vibrant; these miniature pieces will disarm you with their honesty, impress with profoundly hitting the bull’s eye, shock with images that durably glue to the retinas, and teach cautionary tales. Set in an economically broken, war-ridden country, where freedom always comes at a price of a grave sacrifice; this tale is of true unpredictability, of being lost and scared, and alone in raising three children, while clenching onto the last straw of sanity. In it, the protagonist prevails victorious and gifts us a spark of hope. Above all, it’s a deeply and truly personal story, cherished by the author as a labour child of her suffering and love; which gave me an immense pleasure and respons...