Desanka Maksimović ( sr-Cyrl, Десанка Максимовић; 16 May 1898 – 11 February 1993) was a
Serbian poet, writer and translator. Her first works were published in the literary journal ''Misao'' in 1920, while she was studying at the
University of Belgrade
The University of Belgrade ( sr, / ) is a public university in Serbia. It is the oldest and largest modern university in Serbia.
Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it merged with the Kragujevac-b ...
. Within a few years, her poems appeared in the ''
Serbian Literary Herald'', Belgrade's most influential literary publication. In 1925, Maksimović earned a
French Government
The Government of France ( French: ''Gouvernement français''), officially the Government of the French Republic (''Gouvernement de la République française'' ), exercises executive power in France. It is composed of the Prime Minister, who ...
scholarship for a year's study at the
University of Paris
, image_name = Coat of arms of the University of Paris.svg
, image_size = 150px
, caption = Coat of Arms
, latin_name = Universitas magistrorum et scholarium Parisiensis
, motto = ''Hic et ubique terrarum'' (Latin)
, mottoeng = Here and a ...
. Upon her return, she was appointed a professor at Belgrade's elite First High School for Girls, a position she would hold continuously until
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
In 1933, Maksimović married Sergej Slastikov, a
Russian émigré
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
writer. After being dismissed from her post at the high school by the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
s in 1941, she was reduced to a state of poverty and forced to work odd jobs to survive the three-year
occupation
Occupation commonly refers to:
*Occupation (human activity), or job, one's role in society, often a regular activity performed for payment
*Occupation (protest), political demonstration by holding public or symbolic spaces
*Military occupation, th ...
. She was only permitted to publish children's literature during this period, but secretly compiled a collection of patriotic poems, which were not published until after the war. Among these was ''Krvava bajka'' (A Bloody Tale), about the
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
's killing of schoolchildren in the
Kragujevac massacre. It was recited extensively in post-war commemorative ceremonies and became one of the best known Serbian-language poems.
To mark her 60th birthday, Maksimović was named the recipient of a string of honours and awards in 1958. In 1964, she published one of her most acclaimed works, a volume of reflective poetry entitled ''Tražim pomilovanje'' (I Seek Clemency). The work's veiled critique of the
Tito
Tito may refer to:
People Mononyms
* Josip Broz Tito (1892–1980), commonly known mononymously as Tito, Yugoslav communist revolutionary and statesman
* Roberto Arias (1918–1989), aka Tito, Panamanian international lawyer, diplomat, and journ ...
government made it especially popular. The following year, she became a full-fledged member of the
Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
The Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts ( la, Academia Scientiarum et Artium Serbica, sr-Cyr, Српска академија наука и уметности, САНУ, Srpska akademija nauka i umetnosti, SANU) is a national academy and the ...
. Following her husband's death in 1970, Maksimović's poetry increasingly began to revolve around the subject of human mortality. Maksimović travelled extensively in the 1970s and 1980s, and some of her visits abroad inspired several of her works. She became involved in efforts to combat government censorship in the early 1980s and was active until her death in 1993.
Maksimović was the first female Serbian poet to gain widespread acceptance within Yugoslav literary circles and among the general public. One literary scholar notes that she served as an example for other Serbian women wishing to take up the craft. Maksimović's reputation, which was such that most of her contemporaries referred to her simply by her first name, has led one author to describe her as "the most beloved Serbian poet of the twentieth century".
Biography
Childhood
![Znamenito mesto Brankovina 097](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Znamenito_mesto_Brankovina_097.jpg)
Desanka Maksimović was born in the village of Rabrovica, near
Valjevo
Valjevo (Serbian Cyrillic: Ваљево, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Kolubara District in western Serbia. According to the 2011 census, the administrative area of Valjevo had 90,312 inhabitants, 59,07 ...
, on 16 May 1898. She was the oldest of her parents' seven children. Her father Mihailo was a schoolteacher and her mother Draginja (''
née
A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
'' Petrović) was a housewife. Maksimović's ancestors had migrated to Serbia from
Herzegovina
Herzegovina ( or ; sh-Latn-Cyrl, Hercegovina, separator=" / ", Херцеговина, ) is the southern and smaller of two main geographical region of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being Bosnia. It has never had strictly defined geogra ...
in the late 18th century. Her maternal grandfather was an
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism.
Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or "canonical") ...
priest. Within two months of her birth, her father was reassigned to the nearby village of
Brankovina
Brankovina ( sr, Бранковина) is a village in the municipality of Valjevo, Kolubara District in the north of Valjevo about 12 km. According to the census of 2002, there were 573 people (according to the census of 1991, there were 52 ...
, and the family had to relocate. Maksimović spent much of her early childhood in Brankovina. She took an interest in reading at an early age, spending hours in her father's library. When she was 10, the family moved to Valjevo. Maksimović's family was devastated by
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. In 1915, she lost her father to
typhus
Typhus, also known as typhus fever, is a group of infectious diseases that include epidemic typhus, scrub typhus, and murine typhus. Common symptoms include fever, headache, and a rash. Typically these begin one to two weeks after exposure.
...
while he was serving in the
Royal Serbian Army
The Army of the Kingdom of Serbia ( sr-cyr, Војска Краљевине Србије, Vojska Kraljevine Srbije), known in English language, English as the Royal Serbian Army, was the army of the Kingdom of Serbia that existed between 1882 a ...
. Her father's death thrust the family into difficult financial straights. In order to be able to take care of her mother and her siblings, Maksimović was forced to drop out of
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
. In her free time, she learned
French. She re-enrolled after the war and completed her secondary education in 1919.
Early career
Upon completing high school, Maksimović moved to Belgrade, the capital of the newly formed
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Kingdom commonly refers to:
* A monarchy ruled by a king or queen
* Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy
Kingdom may also refer to:
Arts and media Television
* ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama s ...
. She enrolled in the
University of Belgrade
The University of Belgrade ( sr, / ) is a public university in Serbia. It is the oldest and largest modern university in Serbia.
Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it merged with the Kragujevac-b ...
, and took courses in
art history
Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today ...
and
comparative literature
Comparative literature is an academic field dealing with the study of literature and cultural expression across linguistic, national, geographic, and disciplinary boundaries. Comparative literature "performs a role similar to that of the study ...
. By this time, Maksimović had been writing verse for a number of years. She gave some of her poems to one of her former professors, who in turn gave them to Velimir Masuka, the editor-in-chief of ''Misao'' (Thought), one of Serbia's leading artistic and literary publications.
![Zborovanje jugoslovanskega Pen - kluba v Ljubljani leta 1929](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Zborovanje_jugoslovanskega_Pen_-_kluba_v_Ljubljani_leta_1929.jpg)
Maksimović's poetry first appeared in ''Misao'' between 1920 and 1921. She received what was to be the first of many literary awards when one of her poems was voted to be the journal's best by its readers. Within a few years, the ''
Srpski književni glasnik'' (Serbian Literary Herald), then Belgrade's most influential and respected literary journal, began printing her poems, and several of her works appeared in an anthology of Yugoslav lyric poetry. In 1924, Maksimović published her first poetry collection, simply entitled ''Pesme'' (Poems). The collection was met with positive reviews. Maksimović graduated from the University of Belgrade around this time and received a fellowship from the
Government of France
The Government of France ( French: ''Gouvernement français''), officially the Government of the French Republic (''Gouvernement de la République française'' ), exercises executive power in France. It is composed of the Prime Minister, who ...
for a year's study at the
University of Paris
, image_name = Coat of arms of the University of Paris.svg
, image_size = 150px
, caption = Coat of Arms
, latin_name = Universitas magistrorum et scholarium Parisiensis
, motto = ''Hic et ubique terrarum'' (Latin)
, mottoeng = Here and a ...
. She returned to Belgrade in 1925, and upon her return, received a Saint Sava medal from the government for her literary achievements and became a professor at the city's elite First High School for Girls.
By the late 1920s, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was mired by ethnic tensions. In 1929, King
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
decreed that it be renamed Yugoslavia to mitigate growing nationalist resentment. Before long, the country's political disputes spilled over into literary discourse. Yugoslav writers could not agree on the political and artistic direction Yugoslav literature should take. Older writers favoured abiding by existing literary norms while younger ones promoted
modernism
Modernism is both a philosophy, philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western world, Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new fo ...
as a means of explaining the contradictions of modern life and exploring the human subconscious. Maksimović's steadfast refusal to deviate from traditional literary forms and traditions prompted scathing critiques from many of her colleagues in the Yugoslav literary establishment. She would later note: "I would not have had as many friends as I have now if I had not been able to forget the biting jokes or critical remarks about my poetry or myself." Yugoslavia had to endure difficult economic conditions during the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
and the country's political landscape deteriorated further. During this time, Maksimović made poetry the main focus of her writing. Many of her poems were first recited before her fellow writers in the home of Smilja Đaković, the publisher of ''Misao''. In 1933, Maksimović married a Russian-born writer named Sergej Slastikov.
Following the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
-led
Axis
An axis (plural ''axes'') is an imaginary line around which an object rotates or is symmetrical. Axis may also refer to:
Mathematics
* Axis of rotation: see rotation around a fixed axis
*Axis (mathematics), a designator for a Cartesian-coordinate ...
invasion
An invasion is a military offensive in which large numbers of combatants of one geopolitical entity aggressively enter territory owned by another such entity, generally with the objective of either: conquering; liberating or re-establishing con ...
and subsequent occupation of Yugoslavia, Maksimović was forcibly retired from her teaching position at the First High School for Girls at the behest of the occupational authorities. Impoverished, she resorted to giving private lessons, sewing children's clothes and selling dolls in the marketplace. In order to heat her apartment, Maksimović had to walk from downtown Belgrade to Mount
Avala
Avala ( sr-cyr, Авала, ) is a mountain in Serbia, overlooking Belgrade. It is situated in the south-eastern corner of the city and provides a great panoramic view of Belgrade, Vojvodina and Šumadija, as the surrounding area on all sides is ...
to collect firewood. She wrote patriotic poems in secret during this time but was only allowed to publish children's books.
Later life
After the war, Yugoslavia became a
socialist state
A socialist state, socialist republic, or socialist country, sometimes referred to as a workers' state or workers' republic, is a Sovereign state, sovereign State (polity), state constitutionally dedicated to the establishment of socialism. The ...
under the leadership of
Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz ( sh-Cyrl, Јосип Броз, ; 7 May 1892 – 4 May 1980), commonly known as Tito (; sh-Cyrl, Тито, links=no, ), was a Yugoslav communist revolutionary and statesman, serving in various positions from 1943 until his deat ...
. Maksimović was reinstated as a professor at the First High School for Girls. In 1946, she published a collection of war poems titled ''Pesnik i zavičaj'' (The Poet and His Native Land). The collection contained one of her best known poems, ''Krvava bajka'' (A Bloody Fairy Tale), a requiem for the children killed in the
Kragujevac massacre of October 1941. Although she was not a
communist
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
, her works received the approval of the Yugoslav government. Maksimović was a fervent
Russophile
Russophilia (literally love of Russia or Russians) is admiration and fondness of Russia (including the era of the Soviet Union and/or the Russian Empire), History of Russia, Russian history and Russian culture. The antonym is Anti-Russian se ...
, and at times, her Russophilia was mistaken for covert
Cominform
The Information Bureau of the Communist and Workers' Parties (), commonly known as Cominform (), was a co-ordination body of Marxist-Leninist communist parties in Europe during the early Cold War that was formed in part as a replacement of the ...
ism, a serious charge in the years following the
Tito–Stalin Split
The Tito–Stalin split or the Yugoslav–Soviet split was the culmination of a conflict between the political leaderships of Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union, under Josip Broz Tito and Joseph Stalin, respectively, in the years following World W ...
, that if proven, could have landed a person in prison. Maksimović retired from teaching in 1953. In 1958, to mark her 60th birthday, Maksimović received a number of awards from the Yugoslav government and literary establishment. The following year, she received partial membership in the
Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
The Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts ( la, Academia Scientiarum et Artium Serbica, sr-Cyr, Српска академија наука и уметности, САНУ, Srpska akademija nauka i umetnosti, SANU) is a national academy and the ...
(SANU).
In 1964, Maksimović published a volume of reflective poetry entitled ''Tražim pomilovanje'' (I Seek Clemency), which dealt with the 14th-century reign of
Dušan the Mighty
Dušan ( sr-Cyrl, Душан) is a Slavic given name primarily used in countries of Yugoslavia; and among Slovaks and Czechs. The name is derived from the Slavic noun ''duša'' "soul".
Occurrence
In Serbia, it was the 29th most popular nam ...
, the founder of the
Serbian Empire
The Serbian Empire ( sr, / , ) was a medieval Serbian state that emerged from the Kingdom of Serbia. It was established in 1346 by Dušan the Mighty, who significantly expanded the state.
Under Dušan's rule, Serbia was the major power in the ...
. The collection was well received and quickly became a bestseller. Its veiled critique of Tito made it especially popular, especially among those frustrated with the Yugoslav government's increasing arbitrariness and corruption. Maksimović was the recipient of further honours over the next several years. In 1965, her colleagues voted to make her a full member of the SANU. By this time, Maksimović was not only well known and respected within Yugoslavia, but also abroad, with her works having been translated into dozens of languages. Among the translators of her works was the Russian poet
Anna Akhmatova
Anna Andreyevna Gorenko rus, А́нна Андре́евна Горе́нко, p=ˈanːə ɐnˈdrʲe(j)ɪvnə ɡɐˈrʲɛnkə, a=Anna Andreyevna Gorenko.ru.oga, links=yes; uk, А́нна Андрі́ївна Горе́нко, Ánna Andríyivn ...
. In 1967, Maksimović was awarded a medal by the
Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union
The Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( rus, Верховный Совет Союза Советских Социалистических Республик, r=Verkhovnyy Sovet Soyuza Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respubl ...
.
Maksimović's husband died in 1970. Following his death, her poems increasingly began to deal with the topic of human mortality. In 1975, she received a Vuk Karadžić Award for Lifetime Achievement from the SANU, becoming only the second writer to receive the honour, after
Nobel laureate
Ivo Andrić
Ivo Andrić ( sr-Cyrl, Иво Андрић, ; born Ivan Andrić; 9 October 1892 – 13 March 1975) was a Yugoslav novelist, poet and short story writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1961. His writings dealt mainly with life in ...
. The following year, Maksimović published ''Letopis Perunovih potomaka'' (A Chronicle of Perun's Descendants), a poetry collection dealing with medieval Balkan history. She travelled widely in the 1970s and 1980s, visiting many European nations, including the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom, but also Australia, Canada, the United States, and China. Her visits to Norway and Switzerland inspired the poetry collection ''Pesme iz Norveške'' (Poems from Norway; 1976) and a travel book titled ''Snimci iz Švajcarske'' (Snapshots from Switzerland; 1978). In 1982, Maksimović became one of the founding members of the Committee for the Protection of Artistic Freedom, which sought an end to government censorship. In 1988, she published a poetry collection titled ''Pamtiću sve'' (I Shall Remember Everything). She died in Belgrade on 11 February 1993, aged 94.
Legacy
![Desanka Maksimovic PhotoAdamRadosavljevic](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Desanka_Maksimovic_PhotoAdamRadosavljevic.jpg)
"Maksimović ... marked a whole era with her lyrical poetry," the literary scholar Aida Vidan writes. She was the first female Serbian poet to gain widespread acceptance from her predominantly male colleagues within the Yugoslav literary milieu, as well as the first Serbian female poet to attract a significant following among the general public. She was Yugoslavia's leading female literary figure for seven decades, first acquiring this distinction during the
interwar period
In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days), the end of the World War I, First World War to the beginning of the World War II, Second World War. The in ...
and retaining it until her death. The scholar Dubravka Juraga describes her as "the beloved
doyen
Doyen and doyenne (from the French word ''doyen'', ''doyenne'' in the feminine grammatical gender) is the senior ambassador by length of service in a particular country.
In the English language, the meaning of doyen (feminine form: doyenne) h ...
ne of Yugoslav ''belles lettres''". Maksimović "offered women writers a model of achievement in the field of lyric poetry," the literary scholar Celia Hawkesworth writes. Hawkesworth compares Maksimović's contributions to
Serbian literature
Serbian literature ( sr-Cyrl, Српска књижевност), refers to literature written in Serbian and/or in Serbia and all other lands where Serbs reside.
The history of Serbian literature begins with the independent works from the Nema ...
to that of
Elisaveta Bagriana in Bulgaria,
Wisława Szymborska
Maria Wisława Anna SzymborskaVioletta Szostagazeta.pl, 9 February 2012. ostęp 2012-02-11 (; 2 July 1923 – 1 February 2012) was a Polish poet, essayist, translator, and recipient of the 1996 Nobel Prize in Literature. Born in Prowent (n ...
in Poland, and
Nina Cassian
Nina Cassian (pen name of Renée Annie Cassian-Mătăsaru; 27 November 1924, in Galați – 14 April 2014, in New York City) was a Romanian poet, children's book writer, translator, journalist, accomplished pianist and composer, and film critic. ...
in Romania. The author Christopher Deliso describes Maksimović as "the most beloved Serbian poet of the twentieth century". During her lifetime, her reputation was such that many of her contemporaries referred to her simply by her first name. Her poem ''Krvava bajka'' is widely considered one of the best known pieces of Serbian-language verse. She is also credited with popularizing
love lock
A love lock or love padlock is a padlock that significant other pairs lock to a bridge, fence, gate, monument, or similar public fixture to symbolize their love. Typically the sweethearts' names or initials, and perhaps the date, are inscribe ...
s in the former Yugoslavia through one of her poems. By the early 2000s, the phenomenon had spread to other parts of the globe.
Serbian composer
Mirjana Sistek-Djordjevic (born 1935) set poems from Maksimovic’s ''Trazim Pomilovanje'' to music in her composition for women’s chorus and orchestra.
A statue of Maksimović was unveiled in Valjevo on 27 October 1990, while she was still alive. In the 1990s, as part of the renaming of communist-era street names following the breakup of Yugoslavia, Đuro Salaj Street in Belgrade was renamed Desanka Maksimović Street. In May 1996, the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Serbia and Montenegro ( sr, Cрбија и Црна Гора, translit=Srbija i Crna Gora) was a country in Southeast Europe located in the Balkans that existed from 1992 to 2006, following the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yu ...
issued a commemorative postage stamp in her honour. A
bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...
statue of Maksimović was erected in Belgrade's
Tašmajdan Park on 23 August 2007.
Works
Source:
* ''Pesme'' (1924)
* ''Vrt detinjstvа'', poems (1927)
* ''Zeleni vitez'', poems (1930)
* ''Ludilo srcа'', short stories (1931)
* ''Srce lutke spаvаljke i druge priče za decu'' (1931, 1943)
* ''Gozbа na livаdi'', poems (1932)
* ''Kаko oni žive'', short stories (1935)
* ''Nove pesme'' (1936)
* ''Rаspevаne priče'' (1938)
* ''Zаgonetke lаke za prvаke đаke'' (with Jovаnkom Hrvаćаnin; 1942)
* ''Šаrena torbicа'', children's poems (1943)
* ''Oslobođenje Cvete Andrić'', poem (1945)
* ''Pesnik i zavičаj'', poems (1945)
* ''Otаdžbina u prvomаjskoj povorci'', poem (1949)
* ''Sаmoglаsnici A, E, I, O, U'' (1949)
* ''Otаdžbino, tu sаm'' (1951)
* ''Strаšna igrа'', short stories (1950)
* ''Vetrovа uspаvаnkа'' (1953)
* ''Otvoren prozor'', novel (1954)
* ''Prolećni sаstаnak'' (1954)
* ''Miris zemlje'', selected poems (1955)
* ''Bаjkа o Krаtkovečnoj'' (1957)
* ''Ako je verovаti mojoj bаki'', short stories (1959)
* ''Zаrobljenik snovа'' (1960)
* ''Govori tiho'', poems (1961)
* ''Prolećni sаstаnak'' (1961)
* ''Pаtuljkovа tаjna'', short stories (1963)
* ''Ptice na česmi'', poems (1963)
* ''Trаžim pomilovаnje, lirskа diskusijа s Dušаnovim zakonikom'' (1964)
* ''Hoću dа se rаdujem'', short stories (1965)
* ''Đаčko srce'' (1966)
* ''Izvolite na izložbu dece slikаrа'' (1966)
* ''Prаdevojčicа'', novel (1970)
* ''Na šesnaesti rođendаn'', poems (1970)
* ''Prаznici putovаnjа'', travel writing (1972)
* ''Nemаm više vremena'', poems (1973)
* ''Letopis Perunovih potomаkа'', poems (1976)
* ''Pesme iz Norveške'' (1976)
* ''Bаjke za decu'' (1977)
* ''Snimci iz Švajcarske'', travel book (1978)
* ''Ničijа zemljа'' (1979)
* ''Vetrovа uspаvаnkа'', children's poems (1983)
* ''Međаši sećаnjа'', poems (1983)
* ''Slovo o ljubаvi'', poems (1983)
* ''Pаmtiću sve'' (1989)
* ''Nebeski rаzboj'' (1991)
* ''Ozon zavičаjа'' (1991)
* ''Zovina svirаlа'' (1992)
Notes
References
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Maksimovic, Desanka
1898 births
1993 deaths
20th-century Serbian poets
20th-century Serbian women writers
Christian writers
Writers from Valjevo
Serbian women poets
Yugoslav poets
Yugoslav women writers
Struga Poetry Evenings Golden Wreath laureates
University of Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy alumni
Serbian children's writers
Serbian women children's writers
Burials at Serbian Orthodox monasteries and churches