Aco Ã
 opov ( ; 1923 â 1982) was a Macedonian poet. He was considered one of the most important poets of Yugoslavia. He took part in World War II in Yugoslavia (1941âÂÂ45) and his poems written at the time were published as Pesni (Poems) in Belgrade and Kumanovo in 1944, and in Ã
 tip the following year. Pesni was the first poetry collection published in Macedonian in SR Macedonia after the war.
Ã
 opov was member of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts (1967) and corresponding member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (1968).
He graduated from the philosophy department of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje and the Higher Political School in Belgrade. He was president of the Translatorsâ Union and the Writersâ Union of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia in the 1950s and 1960s, and of the Writersâ Union of Yugoslavia from 1965 to 1969. From 1970 to 1977 he was a diplomat.
Biography
His childhood was haunted by the specter of incurable disease, death, sadness, and loneliness - themes that would later permeate his poetry. He referred to his youth as the "Hundred-headed monster." When he was just eleven years old, his mother, whom he had cared for alone, died prematurely of a serious illness. He began writing poetry in a school notebook at the age of fourteen.
In 1943, at the age of 19, Aco Ã
 opov became engaged in the Yugoslav Partisans' resistance to the Nazi occupying forces. He continued writing poetry during this period and found his subject matter in his own experience. He proved to be a highly personal poet even when chronicling events of a social or patriotic nature, as when describing the death of a much-loved woman and fellow partisan, Vera JociÃÂ.
With his poetry book Stihovi na makata i radosta (Verses of Suffering and Joy), Ã
 opov moved away from socialist realism. Because of this departure in the early 1950s, Ã
 opov's poetry was initially criticized but came to be recognized several years later.
Speaking with his own voice, Ã
 opov charted his own course in poetry, without being a dissident. "The greatest challenge and the greatest moral responsibility of the poet," he said in an interview, "is to find the right words to the contents and ideas he wants to express in an authentic and inimitable way. If it fails, the poem is pulled out of its socket, the word becomes a lie."
He was an editor of the literary magazine "Sovremenost".
In 1967, Aco Ã
 opov became one of the founding members of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, and was awarded with the AVNOJ in 1970. The AVNOJ Prize is the highest recognition in the area of science and art in the frames of the former Yugoslavia.
Public career
In 1971, after many years of journalism and publishing, Aco Ã
 opov was nominated as the Yugoslav Ambassador to Senegal. Ã
 opov's time in Senegal inspired the book Poem for the black women, which won the Miladinov Brothers Prize at the Struga Poetry Evenings in 1976. This international festival, held each year in the South of Macedonia, was founded in 1961 by Ã
 opov himself with a group of Macedonian poets.
In 1975, back from Senegal, Aco Ã
 opov was appointed as President of the Commission for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries of the Republic of Macedonia. However, just three years later, the disease foreshadowed in his poems forced him to retire from active life. Following a long illness, he died on 20 April 1982 in Skopje.
Bibliography
Aco Ã
 opov's Poetry Collections in English
- The WordâÂÂs Nativity. Edited by Katica Ḱulavkova. Skopje: St. Clement of Ohrid National and University Library, 2011. 196 p.
- The Long Coming of the Fire: Selected Poems. Compiled by Jasmina Ã
 opova. Translated from the Macedonian by Rawley Grau and Christina E. Kramer. Dallas, Texas: Deep Vellum/Phoneme Media, 2023. 254 p. Bilingual edition.
Aco Ã
 opov's poems in various anthologies in English
- An Anthology of Modern Yugoslav Poetry in English Translations / Janko Lavrin.- London: John Calder, 1962.
- A texte-Book of the Macedonian Language / Krum ToÃ
¡ev and Dragi Stefanija.- Skopje : Matica na iselenicite od Makedonija, 1965.- 185 p.
- Reflexions of pain and Unsubmissiveness : Selection of Macedonian Poetry from the Early Beginnings to Our Day.- Skopje, 1972
- Introduction to Yugoslav Literatur : an Anthology of Fiction and Poetry / ed. by Branko Mikasinovich, Dragan Milivojevich and Vasa D. Mihailovich.- New York: Twayne, 1973.- 647 p.
- Contemporary Yugoslav Poetry / Vasa D. Mihailovich.- Iowa City : University of Iowa Press, 1977.
- Reading the Ashes : an Anthology of the Poetry of Modern Macedonia/ Milne Holton, Graham W. Reid.- Pitsburg : University of Pitsburg Press, 1977.
- Evenings of Macedonian Poetry : Days of Macedonian Culture.- Skopje : Republic Commission for Cultural Relations of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia, 1979.- [68] p.
- White stones and fire trees : an Anthology of Contemporary Slavic Literature / Vasa D. Mihajlovich.- London: Associated University Presses, 1977.
- To Struga with love / Stanley H. Barkan.- Merrick â New York: Cross cultural Communications, 1978.
- Longing for the South : an Anthology of Contemporary Macedonian Poetry / Sitakant Mahapatra, Jozo T. BoÃ
¡kovski.- New Delhi : A. K. Dash, Prachi Prakasan, 1981.
- Macedonian Poetry / transl. N. Kuhner, G. Reid.- Aligarh â India : Editor Baldev Mirza, 1983.
Aco Ã
 opov's Poetry Collections in Macedonian (originals)
- Pesni (Poems). Okoliski NOMSM. 1994.
- Pruga na mladosta (Railways of Youth)(with Slavko Janevski). Skopje. Main Board of the PeopleâÂÂs Youth Force of Macedonia.1946.
- Na Gramos (On Gramos). Skopje: NAPOK. 1950.
- So naÃ
¡i race (With Our Hands). Skopje: State Book Publisher of Macedonia. 1950.
- Stihovi na makata i radosta (Verses of Suffering and Joy). Skopje. KoÃÂo Racin. 1952.
- Slej se so tiÃ
¡inata (Merge with Silence). Skopje: KoÃÂo Racin. 1955.
- Vetrot nosi ubavo vreme (Winds Bring Nice Weather). Skopje: KoÃÂo Racin. 1957.
- Nebidnina (Nonbeing). Skopje: KoÃÂo Racin. 1963.
- Ragjanje na zborot (The WordâÂÂs Nativity). Skopje: Misla. 1966.
- Jus-univerzum (Yus-Universum). Skopje: Misla. 1968.
- GledaÃÂ vo pepelta (Reading the Ashes). Skopje: Makedonska Kniga. 1970.
- Pesna za crnata Ã
¾ena (Song for the Black Woman). Skopje: Misla. 1976.
- Drvo na ridot (A Tree on a Bare Hill). Skopje. Misla. 1980.
Aco Ã
 opovâÂÂs Poetry Selections in Macedonian
- Pesni (Poems). Skopje: KoÃÂo Racin. 1963.
- Pesni (Poems). Skopje: Makedonska kniga & Detska radost. 1967.
- Izbor (Selection). Edited by Georgi Stardelov. Skopje: Makedonska kniga. 1968.
- Zlaten krug na vremeto (Golden Circle of Time). Skopje: Misla. 1969.
- Odbrani dela (Selected Works). Edited by Slobodan MickoviÃÂ. Skopje: Misla. 1976.
- Okeanot e mal, ÃÂovekot e golem (The Ocean is Small, the Man is Vast). Edited by Georgi Stardelov. Skopje: Centar za kultura i informacii. 1977.
- Luzna (Scar). Skopje: Misla (Foreword to Eftim Kletnikov).1981.
- Izbor od poezijata (Poetry Selection) Edited by Rade Siljan. Skopje, Makedonska kniga, 1987.
- Pesni (Poems). Edited by Rade Siljan. Skopje: ZdruÃ
¾eni izdavaÃÂi. 1988.
- Nebo na tiÃ
¡inata (Sky of Silence). Edited by Vele Smilevski. Skopje: Kultura. 1990.
- GledaÃÂ vo pepelta (Reader of Ashes). Edited by Georgi Stardelov. Skopje: Misla. 1991.
- Dolgo doagjanje na ognot (The Long Arrival of the Fire). Edited by Svetlana Ã
 opova. Skopje: Liber-M.1993.
- Poezija (Poetry) Aco Ã
 opovâÂÂs poetry selection. Edited by Katica Kulavkova. Skopje: Makedonska Kniga. 1993.
- RaÃÂanjeto na zborot (The WordâÂÂs Nativity). Edited by Katica Kulavkova. Bitola: NID MIKENA, 2008.
Aco Ã
 opovâÂÂs Poetry Selections in other languages
- Zlij se s tiÃ
¡ino. Prepev Ivan Minati. Ljubljana : DrÃ
¾avna zaloÃ
¾ba Slovenije, 1957. 72 p.
- ÃÂrök várakozó. Foditotta: Fehér Ferenc, Novi Sad, Forum, 1964. 78 p.
- ÃÂõÃÂõàÿÃÂøýþÃÂøÃÂàÿþóþöøõ ôýø. ÃÂõÃÂõòþô ÃÂûõúÃÂðýôðààþüðýõýúþ. ÃÂþÃÂúòð: ÃÂÃÂþóÃÂõÃÂÃÂ, 1964. 64 p.
- ÃÂÃÂõôòõÃÂõÃÂÃÂõ. ÃÂ÷ñþÃÂ, ÿÃÂõòþô ø ÿÃÂõÿÃÂõò áÃÂõÃÂõý ÃÂõÃÂþòøÃÂ. âøÃÂþóÃÂðô: ÃÂÃÂðÃÂøÃÂúø ÷ðòþô, 1966. 115 p.
- Ugnus-milestiba: dzeja. Sakartojis Aleksandar Romanenko. Riga: Liesma, 1974. 103 p.
- ÃÂõÃÂüõ. ÃÂ÷ñþàø ÿÃÂõôóþòþàÃÂõþÃÂóø áÃÂðÃÂôõûþò; ÿÃÂõòþô ø ÿÃÂõÿÃÂõò áÃÂõÃÂõý ÃÂõÃÂþòøÃÂ, ÃÂõþóÃÂðô: ÃÂðÃÂþôýð úÃÂøóð, 1974. 277 p.
- Pjesma crne Ã
¾ene. Prevela Elina Elimova, Zagreb, August Cesarec, 1977. 39 p.
- ÃÂÃÂóþ ôþûðöõýÃÂõ þóÃÂð: ø÷añÃÂðýõ ÿõÃÂüõ. ÃÂÃÂõòþô áÃÂõÃÂõý ÃÂõÃÂþòøÃÂ, ÃÂõþóÃÂðô: àðô, 1977. 105 p.
- En chasse de ma voix. Choix et adaptation Djurdja Sinko-Depierris, Jean-Louis Depierris, Paris, Editions Saint-Germains-des-Prés, 1978. 60 p.
- NaÃ
Âterea cuvéntului. Selectiesi traducere de Ion Deaconesvu; prefatâ si note Traian Nica. Cluj-Napoca: Dacia, 1981, 91 p.
- Lector de cenizas. Presentación selectión i traucción por Aurora Marya Saavedra. Mèhico: Cuadernos Cara a Cara, 1987, 93 p.
- èþÿþò òþ ÃÂòõÃÂþÃÂ, èþÿþò þô ÃÂòõÃÂþÃÂ. ÃÂ÷ñþàø ÿÃÂõôóþòþàÃÂøûþàÃÂøýôÃÂþ. áúþÿÃÂõ: ÃÂðúõôþýÃÂúð úýøóð, 1994 (ÃÂ÷ñþÃÂ, úý. 2).
- Anthologie Personnelle. Poésie traduite du macédonien par Jasmina Ã
 opova; introduction dâÂÂAnte Popovski; adaptation et postface dâÂÂEdouard Maunick. Paris: Actes Sud / Editions UNESCO, 1994, 143 p.
- Stigmate. Edité par Jasmina Ã
 opova. Skopje : Matica makedonska, 2001. 253 p. (macédonien et français)
- Senghor-Ã
 opov : Parallèles. Edité par Jasmina Ã
 opova; Introductions: Jasmina Ã
 opova, Hamidou Sall, Risto Lazarov. Illustrations: Hristijan Sanev. Skopje: Sigmapres, 2006. 206 p. (français et macédonien).
- Sol negro. Traducción de Luisa Futoransky. Prólogo y selección por Jasmina Ã
 opova. Buenos Aires : Leviatán, 2011. 98 p.
- Geburt des Wortes = Naissance de la parole. Gedichte übersetzt aus dem Makedonischen von Ina Jun Broda; Traduit du macédonien par Jasmina Ã
 opova et Edouard J.Maunick. Struga: Sruga Poesieabende / Soirées poétiques de Struga, 2010. 92 p.
- Soleil noir = Schwarze Sonne. Préface = Vorwort: Jasmina Ã
 opova. Differdange: Editions PHI, 2012. 121 p.
- àðöôðýøõ ýð ÃÂûþòþÃÂþ. ÃÂþôñþÃÂ, ÿÃÂõòþô, ÿÃÂõôóþòþÃÂ: àþüðý ÃÂøÃÂÃÂþò; àÃÂÃÂõ: ÃÂòðýóðÃÂô ÿÃÂøýÃÂ, 2013. 110 p.
- Z najstarszego i najczystszego Ã
ÂwiatÃ
Âa sÃ
Âonecznego : wiersze = ÃÂô ýðÃÂÃÂÃÂðÃÂð ø ýðÃÂÃÂøÃÂÃÂð ÃÂþýÃÂõòøýð : ÿõÃÂýø / Aco Szopow [przeÃ
ÂoÃ
¼yÃ
 i wstÃÂpem opatrzyÃ
 Maciej Kawka].- Kraków : Towarzystwo Autorów i Wydawców Prac Naukowych Universitas, 2023.- 248, [3] strony; 21 cm.
- Aco Ã
 opov: a universal poet [selection of Ã
 opov's poetry translated into Arabic by Jamila Mejri], Tunis, 2023..
- ÃÂÃÂòþ ýð ñÃÂõóà/ ÃÂÃÂþ èþÿþò ; [ÿÃÂøÃÂõôøûð, ÃÂÃÂõôøûð ø ÿÃÂõòõûð ÃÂð üðúõôþýÃÂúþó ÃÂõ÷øúð ÃÂðýøÃÂõûð ÃÂ. ÃÂþÃÂÃÂðôøýþòøÃÂ].- ÃÂøà: ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂòþ úÃÂøöõòýøúð ø úÃÂøöõòýøÃÂ
ÿÃÂõòþôøûðÃÂð ÃÂøÃÂð, 2024 (ÃÂøà: ÃÂðøàÿÃÂøýÃÂ).- 54 ÃÂÃÂÃÂ. : øûÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ. ; 18 cm.
- ÃÂûðÃÂõý úÃÂÃÂó ýð òÃÂõüõÃÂþ = Zlati krog ÃÂasa : izbor pesmi ob stoletnici rojstva Aca Ã
 opova in izbor likovnih del Bogeta Dimovskega ob petdesetletnici umetniÃ
¡kega ustvarjanja / [pesmi] Aco Ã
 opov in [likovna dela] Boge Dimovski ; [avtorji spremnih besedil Namita Subiotto in MilÃÂek Komelj ; izbrala in uredila Domen Dimovski in Namita Subiotto ; prevajalci Sonja Cekova Stojanoska ... [et al.] ; fotografije Domen Dimovski].- Ljubljana : Zveza MKD v Republiki Sloveniji, 2024 (Bitola : Grafo prom).- 233 str. : ilustr. ; 22 x 23 cm
Translations in Macedonian by Aco Ã
 opov
- Eduard Bagricki, Pesna za Apanasa, translated by Ã
 opov and Slavko Janevski. 1951.
- Oton ZupanÃÂiÃÂ, Ciciban. 1951.
- I. A. Krilov, Basani. 1953.
- Gustav Krklec, Telegrafski basni. 1954.
- Jovan JovanoviÃÂ Zmaj, Pesni. 1954.
- Pierre Corneille, Le Cid. 1958.
- Grigor Vitez, Pesna na ÃÂuÃÂuligata. 1959.
- William Shakespeare, Hamlet. 1960.
- Miroslav KrleÃ
¾a, Pesni/Izbor. 1963.
- Izet SarajliÃÂ, Poezija. 1965.
- Dragutin TadijanoviÃÂ, VeÃÂer nad gradot. 1966.
- William Shakespeare, Sonnets. 1970.
Books on Aco Ã
 opov
- Aco Ã
 opov (1923âÂÂ1982): Festschrift presented as a memorial to Aco Ã
 opov : a member of Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts.
- IvanoviÃÂ Radomir: Poetikata na Aco Ã
 opov, prevod od srpskohrvatski rakopis Milan Trajkov, Skopje, Makedonska revija, 1986.
- IvanoviÃÂ Radomir: ReÃÂ o reÃÂi : poetika Ace Ã
 opova, Beograd, Novo Delo, 1986.
- TvoreÃ
¡tvoto na Aco Ã
 opov (simpozium po povod 70-godiÃ
¡ninata od raÃÂanjeto na Aco Ã
 opov), Skopje, FiloloÃ
¡ki fakultet, Institut za makedonska literatura, 1993.
- Kitanov BlaÃ
¾e: Aco Ã
 opov, Ã
½ivot i delo, Skopje, Kultura, 1998.
- Stardelov Georgi, Nebidninata: poezijata i poetskoto iskustvo na Aco Ã
 opov, Skopje, Matica makedonska, 2000.
- Aco Ã
 opov: sveÃÂen sobir po povod 20-godiÃ
¡ninata od smrtta na Aco Ã
 opov, Skopje, 24.IV 2002 godina.
- Ã
 opova Jasmina: Po-tragite na Aco Ã
 opov, Skopje, Sigmapres, 2003.
- Ã
½ivotot i deloto na Aco Ã
 opov (meÃÂunaroden nauÃÂen sobir po povod osumdesetgodiÃ
¡ninata od raÃÂanjeto na Aco Ã
 opov), Skopje, Makedonska Akademija na naukite i umetnostite, 2005
References
External links