Loss of a pearl!

[Aleksandra]

Gane Todorovski was a Macedonian pearl. He was a recognized poet, translator, essayist, literary critic, historian, publicist, academic, and a friend of mine. He died on the twenty-second day of May, 2010, at the age of 81.

 

Todorovski was born on the eleventh day of May, 1929, in Skopje. I grew up with his poetry and his work. At first I knew only his name from my school books; he was merely a term or concept for me. But in time, I was fortunate enough to meet this great poet and got to know him as a person. I was able to share thoughts with him and be friends with him. From him, I learned that growing as a poet was a long path filled with ups and downs.

 

Gane Todorovski's entire life was one of erudition, having graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy, University "SS. Cyril and Methodius" in Skopje, from where he earned his Ph.D. with the thesis "Slavs Veda and Its Mystificators," then having worked as a journalist, and as a professor of nineteenth century Croatian and Macedonian Literature at the Faculty of Philology in Skopje. He was also the president of the Macedonian Writers' Association (1969-1971 and 1985-86), President of the Board of the Struga Poetry Evenings Festival, and editor-in-chief of the journal "Mlada literatura" ( "Young Literature" ). He was a member of the Macedonian Academy of Arts and Sciences, member of the Macedonian P.E.N. Centre, Member of the Macedonian Writers' Association since 1951, and served as an Ambassador of the Republic of Macedonia to the Russian Federation. He had over ten books of poetry and several books of studies, literary notes, criticism, essays etc. His literary contributions will be remembered by current and future generations.

 

Some of his titles are: "In the mornings," "Disturbing Sounds," "Apotheosis of the Working Day," "Bitter Sips of Disquiet," "A Rather Ugly Day," "Trouble, Treachery, Sleeplessness," and "A Lonely Traveller" (poetry in English, 1996).

 

His collection "Proud Accords" was published in 2009, marking his 80th birthday.

 

Gane Todorovski (1929-2010)

 

MACEDONIAN Poets

[Tinker]

Hi Aleks, I am sorry for the loss of your friend. Thank you for sharing some of his poetry with us. The imagery of the first Come to Ohrid is stunning and the power and passion of the poem Prayer is almost tangible. How wonderful that in his passing he has left behind a part of himself in his work.

 

~~Tink

[Aleksandra]

Thank you, Tinker for sharing your thoughts about this great poet with me. He is missed so much. But yes, he left his work to us, to his followers as poets, and generally to the Macedonian nation.

 

Aleksandra