Clear Water
If I were clear water, mother,
if I were clear water.
Mother, dear,
I know where to flow.
Old mother of souls,
I know where to flow.
I would flow through the heart of Mitrovica,
I would flow across my beloved.
Mother, dear,
I know where to flow.
Old mother of souls,
I know where to flow.
This folk song is a heartfelt homage to my grandmothers, honoring their strength and legacy while breaking the cycle of generational tragedies caused by war. It celebrates their musical heritage and the joy, resilience, and stories they carried, connecting past and present through song. It is both a tribute and a healing gesture, preserving memory while transforming inherited pain into strength.
The song was sung my Serbian grandmother, Milena, or Buki, as we called her. My grandmother sang traditional songs with the National Orchestra of KUD Polet Belgrade and worked with the legend- ary Vlastimir Pavlović Carevac. Her father, my great-grandfather, was an amazing folk musician who played the clarinet, okarina, and frula at weddings.
Music and lyrics: Macedonian/Serbian folksong
Arrangement: Zvezdana Novaković ZveN