Dane Zajc (foto: Drago Tršar)
Dane Zajc, born 1929 in Zgornja Javoršica, Slovenia. Completed high school in Ljubljana, where, until his retirement, he worked as a librarian. Published his first poems in the 1948/49 Mladinska revija and was later associated with other literary magazines (Beseda, Naša sodobnost, Revija 57, Perspektive, Problemi, Sodobnost, Nova revija). During the years 1991–95 he was President of the Slovenian Writers’ Association. He was a member of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts and winner of many awards, including the national Prešeren Prize for literature.
Up to the time of his death Zajc published eight books of poetry: Požgana trava (Scorched Grass, 1958), Jezik iz zemlje (Language of the Earth, 1961), Ubijalci kač (The Snake-Killers, 1968), Rožengruntar (Master of the Roses, 1975), Si videl (You Have Seen, 1979), Kepa pepela (A Lump of Ash, 1984), Zarotitve (Conspiracies, 1985) and Dol dol (Down Down, 1998). He also published the plays Otroka reke (The River Children, 1963), Potohodec (Pathwalker, 1971), Voranc (1978), Mlada Breda (Young Breda, 1981), Kalevala (1985), Medeja (Medea, 1988) in Grmače (Rocky Peak, 1994). His play Jagababa (2007) was published posthumously. His poems have appeared in many anthologies worldwide. He has also published numerous volumes of poems and fairy-tales for children.
