Zacytuj

The following article discusses the poetic output in Beneška Slovenia (Benečija) written for the Senjam Song Festival of Benečija. While considering the context of the region’s history and migrations, it focuses on the literary aspects of the festival, particularly on the analysis of the themes and the poetry writing technique. It builds on certain theoretical premises from literary imagology and psychoanalysis. The subject of the analysis are the lyrics from the period between 1971 and 2012, published in a three-volume collection featuring over 150 authors. The article notes the following most prevalent themes: issues of assimilation, migration, and the dying of villages in Benečija. Categorised by basic mood, they fall under one of two extremes: they are either cheerful and humorous in order to encourage and bring joy and hope to the Slovenes of Benečija; or they are pervaded with deep pain and concern over the situation in their region. The lyrics of the latter use a particular writing technique, which merely hints at the pressures of assimilation, conveying them through images and metaphors.