Poem Weary Mikula’s Speech is confirmed not only as the best work of its author, but as one of the most valuable poetic creations of Croatian literature. Weary Mikula is an archetype of land worker, that embodies all strivings, fears and hopes of all those that grew up amid stones – poet Franičević depicts him with shared characteristics of personal and collective suffering. As Miroslav Krleža said: “His charm lies in suggestively linking pathos of ancient literary past with social problems of our days.”* Reciting of the poem by the author himself leads listeners amid an emotionally heavy tirade of stirred passions of Weary Mikula – a man facing difficult issues of staying in his native region, change of political system and flow of time, a man that can do nothing but yell into the wind.

“Birds Above Olives”, Jugoton – Nakladni zavod Matice Hrvatske 1981.