Željko Knežević
Željko Knežević was born on September 9, 1956 in Šibenik. He studied geology in Belgrade, where he graduated and obtained his master's degree, and went on to his postgraduate training at ETH Zürich. He has lived and worked in Switzerland, temporarily, for 20 years.
His book of poetry "To the Father and the Son" (Atelje 63, Aleksinac, Serbia) was published in 2003. A collection of aphorisms titled "Water and Wine" (BKC, Novo Miloševo, Serbia) was published in 2010.
Book "The Garland of Alphabet" was published by “Sven”, Niš, Serbia in 2011. After are published: “Looking in the skies”; “Skyviews”; “Destiny smile”; “Call of Hearth”…
He is the editor of three poetry anthologies by the literary circle of authors living in Switzerland.
In 1995 he became the founder of Tenenum Art Project, which stands as a multicultural and multimedia association.
Its projects and activities include theatrical performances, exhibitions of paintings and photography, ethno, jazz and blues music concerts, poetry soirees, humanitarian aids, etc.
His works have been published in various literary collections and anthologies, both in Serbia and abroad, and translated into German, English, Italian and Swedish language.
Resurrection
Gazing through the window
mesmerized by a tree
where sunlit branches,
twinkle all green.
Fluttering and dancing
so pretty and crisp,
those emerald leaves,
as daydream and kiss
in a bliss...
as reflection
on a screen
as a raindrop
on the window.
Someone sings,
in another room,
about partition...
about Metohija...
joyful, but sad,
and the light
that crucifies me,
is closer...
I tremble.
Ascending
Before you,
before the beginning,
I was nothing,
above the water,
so muddy and dark
I was floating
in a tunnel.
Mice and rats
swimming and chasing,
grow to be
heavier and heavier,
I sank,
shivering, my bones full of damp
in a blackness
of the channel
(Let’s say “Grande”)
Then a fresh ray of hope
appeared
for you,
for me.
As I was taking off
On your wings,
I started to sing,
And I still do
even now,
... speechless,
and I still fly
even now,
...astonished.
Gone with a train
Girl in red
is gone like a dove,
Only her face
remains in my eyes.
All is happiness,
All is love.
Her red shirt and her red hair,
waving in a wind.
The tower where we stay
is high, very high,
She smiles in the corner of her lips
Will I get down?
(You may).
Red, I see only red
everywhere red,
even where black is
red is blinking.
Fire and fever
all around me.
A tearless break.
Should I start running after?
Should I run away?
(Go girl, go)
The train for Graz
is moving away.
Good luck,
I say.
Winter
When it snows
It is all covered
Snowflakes dance
Like butterflies.
When it snows
It's all covered
All my traces
are covered
And
all my failures.
The branches
The grass
A snow hat
Covered them all.
Whiteness
like a destiny
Hide them all
Under very main colour
Of the mighty Painter.
With easy,
The snow is singing cold
With loneliness
Under the boots,
The winter is squeaking
This Winter.
A sister winter.
Without you
Without you
There is no Sun
There is no air
Nothing!
Without you
There is no me
There is no life
in me
Everything
is dull!
Without you
I just exist
And decay
Needlessly.
Without you
There is nothing
Everything is nothing
When you are not here.
Who is going
to love me
Without you?
And who am I
going to love
so alone?
Bez tebe
Bez tebe
Sunca nema
Ni vazduha nema.
Samo ništa!
Bez tebe
Nema ni mene
Ni života nema.
Sumorno!
Bez tebe
Ništa nije
Prirodno.
Neprirodno!
Bez tebe
Samo životarim
Samo tavorim.
Zaludu!
Bez tebe
Teško dišem
Tužno je.
Pretužno!
Bez tebe
Nema ljubavi,
ni poljubaca.
Nezagrljen!
Bez tebe
Ja nisam ja
Samo ja
Ali bez tebe.
Bez tebe
Ništa nema
Sve je ništa
Bez tebe.
Translator: Diana Taylor
English 
Spanish
