The poems I offer here are those of the Kosovo song cycle, in English translation by Helen Rootham, published in 1920. This is probably not the best translation available. It is, however, the only English translation I have which is not copyright-protected, so it is the one I offer. One hears over and over on the news and in conversation that the ethnic rivalries in the Balkans are bitter and ancient. But it is not true.
All history is continuous, of course, and in a sense anything can be traced back to antiquity.
But practically speaking, the national rivalries in the Balkans today are not ancient. They date back only about 150 to 200 years. For readers interested in understanding the ethnic and political disputes in the Balkans today, I strongly recommend setting aside any pursuit of medieval Balkan history in favor of a focus on more recent history. The roots of the current conflicts can be found in the nationalist movements of the middle and late 19th century, the Balkan Wars of 1912 and the diplomacy leading up to it, and the continued fighting in the area through the two world wars. Other Resources The Poems.