Izabrana lirika

The collection Selected Lyrics (in the 1982 edition) offers an overview of the work of one of the most prominent poets from the turn of the 20th century. Šantić’s poetry is strongly marked by the influence of Vojislav Ilić, as well as by a profound personal sensibility through which he experiences the fate of his own people and his native Mostar. Three dominant thematic strands stand out in the book. The first consists of social and patriotic verse, in which Šantić—driven by deep empathy for the disenfranchised and oppressed—raises his voice against injustice, foreign rule, and poverty (featuring such anthological poems as "Emina," "Stay Here," and "Bread"). The second strand comprises love poetry, imbued with a sense of anguish, unfulfilled passion, longing, and a subtle Oriental patina. The third consists of intimate and reflective verse, in which the poet contemplates transience, solitude, faith, and his own internal struggles. Šantić’s verse is characterized by its melodic quality, sincerity, and fervor, establishing him as an enduring symbol of the Mostar literary circle and of classical South Slavic lyric poetry.