Found a New Poem Peeking Out at Me on MTA Poetry "Hide-And-Seek by Serbian Poet Vasko Popa

It's always a welcome surprise to find a new poem to lighten the doldrums of a subway ride.  Vasko Popa (b Serbia 1922-91) is the most recent poem to be revealed on the subway cars apropos to an enigmatic, whimsical find.  Papa was born in Serbia but is of Romanian descent.  His poetry is intentionally mystifying and often contains cryptic references to nature, Serbian folklore and myths.  Popa's poetry is also known for its socialistic realism commentary post WWII.  "Hide-And-Seek" appears more delightful than socially insightful.  Regardless, it is also somewhat beguiling in its clever & resplendent eloquence:

Someone hides from someone else
Hides under his tongue
The other looks for him under the earth

He hides on his forehead
The other looks for him in the sky

He hides insides his forgetfulness

The other looks for him in the grass

Looks for him Looks

There's no place he doesn't look
and looking he loses himself.


Childlike & innocuous, perhaps there is a double entendre regarding the overshadowing of political forces & censorship mounting at the time.