The Night a Poem Was Born

An English translation of the film’s Slovenian dialogue. Minor speech repetitions have been omitted.

A sheet of paper lies before me. Every drop of ink is like a promise that a word can outlive time.

Dear compatriots, today I stand before you as a poet, but even more as a person seeking words of hope in unsettled times. I write with freedom in mind, with unity in mind, and with a nation that is only beginning to learn to believe in itself. I am writing Zdravljica: not a song of power, but a toast to people, peace and dignity.

As I pause at the seventh stanza, a thought strikes me that seems almost audacious. Can I imagine these words one day being sung by crowds? That they will become more than a whisper: the voice of a nation? That this very stanza, which speaks of having a neighbour rather than an enemy across the border, will become the anthem of a country that does not yet exist? I admit that I doubt it. Not because I disbelieve the power of words, but because I know the times in which I live.

And that is precisely why I write. A poet must write not only for today, but for a tomorrow that they may never live to see. If this song is ever sung at important moments, let it celebrate an open hand, culture, language and respect for others, rather than weapons.

Let culture be more than a celebration on one day of the year. Let it live every day that we dare to think, speak and create in our own language. This is my toast to you, and to the future that is coming.