Tiho noći
Tiho, noći,
Moje sunce spava;
Za glavom joj
Od bisera grana;
A na grani
K'o da nešto bruji -
To su pali
Sićani slavuji:
Žice predu
Iz svilenog glasa,
Otkali joj
Duvak do pojasa,
Pokrili joj
I lice i grudi, -
Da se moje
Night in this poem is not empty or silent. It spins silk from birdsong, lays a veil over a sleeping child and asks the whole world to move softly until morning.
Listen for the lullaby hidden in the consonants
Read the verses slowly and let the punctuation control your breath. Poetic word order may differ from everyday conversation, while shortened forms such as k’o preserve rhythm. Images such as pearls, silk and nightingales make tenderness visible. You do not need to translate every line before hearing its mood.
Five quiet sentences beside the poem
| Latinica | Ćirilica | English |
|---|---|---|
| Dete mirno spava kraj prozora. | Дете мирно спава крај прозора. | The child is sleeping peacefully by the window. |
| Noć je prekrila vrt tamnim velom. | Ноћ је прекрила врт тамним велом. | Night covered the garden with a dark veil. |
| Slavuj peva tiše od vetra. | Славуј пева тише од ветра. | The nightingale sings more softly than the wind. |
| Majka šapatom čuva san. | Мајка шапатом чува сан. | The mother guards the dream with a whisper. |
| Biserni sjaj treperi na grani. | Бисерни сјај трепери на грани. | A pearly glow shimmers on the branch. |
Read it once for meaning, once for music
On the first reading, mark every image connected with sleep. On the second, prolong the vowels slightly and notice where the line naturally becomes quieter. Choose two verses and recite them without looking.
Gather the poem’s night images
- What is sleeping in the poem?
- Find the Serbian word for branch.
- Write nightingale in Serbian.
- Which material is mentioned: silk or wool?
- Translate: The child is sleeping peacefully.
Soft answers for a quiet poem
- sunce, used tenderly for the sleeping person
- grana
- slavuj
- silk — svila appears through svilenog
- Dete mirno spava. / Дете мирно спава.