Prilog Feliksa Valentića

Zemlja i srce u oku: plodna utroba i žuljevite ruke, srce široko poput ravnice na kojoj se ljulja zlatno klasje, ljeska zreli kukuruz, mirišu otkosi sijena, blješti zubato zimsko sunce u vinogradima na proplanku... Zemlja je ovdje sve: oranica i livada, plandište i gaj, šuma i proplanak. Za nju i na njoj se živjelo, u srcu se nosila. Ovdje se srce radovalo i snovalo, od pamtivijeka do brektanja traktora danas, uz tambure i zanosnu slavonsku pjesmu, dok ne ustrepti pa hoće iz grudi da iskoči. Tko ne zna zvjezdane noći pune mjesečine, srebrnih niti prosutih po usnulim šorovima i asfaltnim cestama, plastovima sijena i krovovima seoskih kuća, što mame iz grla pjesmu, iz glasnjača tambura ustreptale i zanosne zvuke kaki nigdi nema, i vilovito kolo puno bećarske strasti, šlinganih skuta i zveckanja dukata na uzdrhtalim grudima u kojima se srce usplahiri do neslućenih želja. Marljivi i gostoljubivi Slavonci od naravi pivači, tamburaši i igrači, nose u srcu svoju Slavoniju didaka i snaša, davnih sijela i prela, svadbi i udaja, prekrasnih vezova i starih dermova, kiljera i kaćara, kombajna i kombinata, nose je pretočenu u pjesmu staru i novu, narodnu, izvornu, varošku ili festivalsku, pjesmu ljubavi, brige, nade i životne radosti, pjesmu što izvire iz zemlje i srca.

Prijevod Naime Balić

Country and the heart in an eye;the fertile womb and the horny-handed hands,the heart as wide as flat around on which the golden spikes swing, the ripe maize shimmers, the hayrick scents, the cold winter sun glitters in the vineyards over the hills...this is Slavonia. Everything is country here:the plain and the meadow, the shady place for rest and the grove. The forest and the clearing wood. The people used to live for this country and Slavonia was always in men's heart. From times immemorial till nowadays when we hear the sounds of tractors, the heart of a man used to be full of joy and dreams with tambura (a kind of stringed instrument) and ecstatic Slavonian song which makes people being full of enthusiasm and pleasure. There is none who doesn't know the star-lit nights, the silver cords scattered over fallen asleep yards(sor)and the asphalt roads, haystocks and the village roofs, which allure songs and music of tambura full of flickered and ecstatic sounds which nowhere cannot be heard. There is none, who doesn't know the fairy kolo (a kind of national dance), full of blissful passion where the giris hearts covered with golden ducats tremble and wish eternity. The brave and hospitable Slavonians "singer by birth", tambura players and dancers, carry their Slavonia in their hearts leaping up from ancient bee and spinning-parties, marriages and marvellous embroideries; they put all these feelings into songs, old and new, folks or original, "townish" or festival, song full of love, hope, solicitude and joy, song-which arises from this country and its Slavonian heart.