| EXILE KINGS |
| Productions |
| Goran Simic, poet - Short Autobiography |
| BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE by Goran Simic I was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1952, as the fourth son in the sixty years long marriage of my mother Ruza (Rose) and father Milorad (Workaholic).I guess I was born a male by accident judging by the tears of my mother when she saw me."Not another male", she was screaming. Father was happy probably because he was a Partisan during the WW II (fighting against German-Nazi occupation of Yugoslavia) having on his mind that our country already lost too many men during the war. My mother compensated lack of female teaching me how to cook,iron and respect the way woman rule the world without being visible. She was my great friend and supporter until she died at the end of first year of Bosnian war. I guess, she didn’t have enough interest to experience another four year long war. My father is still alive carrying his 84 years heavy burden and he is the only representative of Family Simic in Sarajevo. The rest, one can find on Orthodox graveyard. Surrounded by politically left oriented entire family, I grew up under "Communist’s regime",how western country loves to name that system even I still think, at that time Yugoslavia was far from Russian kind of Communism as much Russia was far from Capitalism. Of course, I am politically left oriented not only because of my family background but also because I grew up with Hippie generation, having a long hair and travelling all over Europe since I got my first passport at age 19. At that age I went to France to attend "Pink Floyd" rock concert and instead of two days I stayed two years breaking the heart of my father who was begging me to study Medicine Science instead of Comparative Writing and Theatrics. Older brothers were already on their way to be Military General, Professor of Biology and Mechanical Engineer. Later on, I discovered we have the sister the same age as I am as a product of my father’s love affair. She was a family secret for a long time. Somehow I am grateful to father not telling me that because I would miss my mothers cooking lessons. At that time I couldn’t admit to my father I'd never be a doctor, after I killed sparrow by sling at age 10. That day, I became a good man. At that age I published my first poems in children’s magazines, wrote plays for School Theatre and was certain only brain and heart are pieces of human body I am interested in. For now I am the only person in 200 years old Family Simic whose profession is writer. My first connection with literature comes through the story of my grandfather who was travelling with Russian writer Maxim Gorki on his way back from Moscow. I don’t know what they were talking about, but after he came back home he was so impressed with that three days long trip that his first grandchild was named Gorki. I wish my cousin gave up that name in favor of me.I came to Canada after terrible war in Bosnia and I am really happy none of my two children are on the list of 11.000 killed citizens of Sarajevo. "Why to chose Canada instead of America-I asked great American writer Susan Sontag debating where to move after we survived four years of Sarajevo’s siege. "It’s good place to be"-she said. I guess she was right. I am almost sure. (2004) |
