From Županja to Melbourne, her verses bridge time, language, and love
By Suzana Fantov
Photos: Ruža D. Bačak, private album
In this heartfelt and inspiring interview, we speak with Ruža Dabić-Bučak, a Croatian-born poet whose life journey spans continents, generations, and languages. From her early days in Županja to building a new life in Melbourne, Australia, Ruža has carried with her a deep love for her homeland and a passion for storytelling. After a career in nursing, she discovered the power of poetry just before her 60th birthday—and has since published multiple poetry collections in both Croatian and English.
Her words weave together themes of love, memory, identity, and the quiet strength of women. Join us as Ruža shares the story of how she found her voice later in life and what drives her to keep writing, creating, and connecting across cultures and generations.
– Could you briefly introduce yourself – who is Ruža, the poet with a soul – where do you come from, and what are you doing today?
My soul is not between two worlds. These two worlds live in one – my soul – in harmony and love.
My name is Ruža Dabić-Bučak. I was born in Croatia in 1950. I was baptized as Ruža, but in my childhood and youth I was known as Ružica because I was very small. I lived and grew up in Županja, in my beloved neighbourhood of Kolonija-Šećerana.
In 1971, my husband and I moved to Melbourne, where we still live with our two children and three grandchildren.
I ended my working life as a nurse consultant at an oncology clinic in 2016.
In my retirement, I write a lot. I’ve published four books – two in Croatian and two in English.
Her poetry collections are now part of her hometown’s literary heritage
Congratulations on your success! How did you feel when you found out that your poetry collections were included in the Županja City Library catalogue?
I felt indescribable joy that the books of a daughter of a wonderful, illiterate mother are now in the catalogue of my hometown’s city library, as part of the local collection.
What does that connection to your birthplace mean to you, despite the many years you’ve spent in Australia?
I found a new, happy home in Australia. Melbourne welcomed me and protected me with its embrace.
It gave me the opportunity to create my future. I am content and happy.
But the flame of love for my old homeland flickers in my heart. It never loses its eternal glow.
When I set off on my final journey, I will fly over my mother Slavonia and my Županja.
I know they’re waiting for their child to say goodbye, to return.
You can take a Županja girl out of Županja, but you can’t take Županja out of the girl.
It’s Never Too Late
In one conversation, you mentioned that you began writing just two days before your 60th birthday. What prompted you at that moment in life?
We were preparing for a big celebration of my 60th birthday. I wanted to welcome our guests by reading an appropriate poem. At that time, I didn’t write poetry. I had read thousands of books, but I never wanted to write poetry or prose, nor did I ever think I could.
I tried to find something online. I found nothing. Two days before the celebration, I wrote a welcome message and went to bed.
During the night, I suddenly woke up, went into my study, and wrote my first poem Thank You, and then Sixty – in both Croatian and English.
Since then, I’ve been writing tirelessly.
You write in both Croatian and English. How do you decide which language to write in?
Could you tell us more about the collections Petals and Kapljice? How did they come about?
You can’t write poetry by order or plan. I write when inspiration comes – sometimes in Croatian, sometimes in English.
Petals follows my first book of poetry in Croatian, Latice, the core of my writing, published during COVID-19 in 2021. I intentionally published it unedited as a record of what happened to the Croatian language of a person educated in Croatia but who lived in Australia for half a century.
All my other books are edited.
Then I realised that even though my son and daughter speak Croatian, they can’t grasp the soul of a poem written in Croatian. My grandchildren don’t speak Croatian at all.
So I decided to write Latice in English – plus many new poems – and that became Petals.
It was important to me that my children, grandchildren, and future generations here in Australia know where they come from.
In 2023, I needed a book in both Croatian and English to send to the Županja City Library for their local collection. Since Petals has a hardcover and Latice has a soft cover, I decided to republish Latice with a hardcover so it would last longer.
Latice and Petals are edited.
The collection Kapljice contains poems from Latice as well as 24 new poems. How are the new poems different from the earlier ones?
The new poems are completely new material.
How important is it to you that your poems will be preserved for future generations?
Are your poems mostly autobiographical or fictional poetic stories?
My books are an invaluable legacy for future generations. It means a great deal to me.
A large part of my work is autobiographical poetry. It’s dedicated to my old homeland, its people, customs, and that part of history.
My writing style is free verse. I consider myself a poetic storyteller.
Many of my newer poems reflect on life, aging, and love.
I wanted Latice and Kapljice to help preserve our beautiful Croatian language.
Are there any poems particularly dear to you that you would single out? Why?
That’s hard to answer. It’s like asking which eye I love more, the right or the left.
How difficult is it to express emotions and memories in two languages through poetry?
It hasn’t been difficult for me.
Because of a very demanding job, raising children, and time constraints, I couldn’t even solve crosswords in Croatian – I only read English books (that’s all that was available in the library for years), I even dreamed in English.
When I started writing in Croatian, it was hard. Language is alive. After half a century in Australia, my Croatian hadn’t grown or developed.
The new Croatian language (after the Homeland War) was largely unfamiliar to me. I didn’t understand many words. It wasn’t the Croatian I learned in the 1960s.
Since then, I’ve relearned Croatian, and I think I no longer have many problems. I’m very proficient in English.
Do you have role models among poets, Croatian or Australian?
Have you participated in literary evenings or festivals in Australia or Croatia?
I love Tin Ujević, Konstantin Simonov, and from the Australians, Richard Trembath.
Once a month I attend a literary evening at my publishing house. I also participate in competitions in Croatia.
Have you received any awards for your work?
What have you published so far, and is there anything new in preparation?
I’ve published: Latice, Petals, Kapljice, and in October 2024, my latest book of poetry in English Currents of Air & Age – an exploration of life, love, and aging.
I’m now also writing short stories.
In contests by Pisci i Književnost in Zagreb, several of my poems were selected and included in books.
One poem won a Gold Diploma and first place for its beautiful poetic style.
They also selected my first short story for inclusion in a book.
Also, the publishing house Prof&Graf from Tenja included six of my poems in one of their books.
So far I have four books from Croatia and two more are on the way.
Yesterday, I found out that Croatian Emigrant Lyric in New York published a monograph featuring the works of many poets from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, and the USA for their 25th anniversary – and my work and name are included.
I’ve also been invited and have become a member of the Croatian Emigrant Lyric – New York Group.
You mention inspiration from love, pain, happiness, and old customs – is there a dominant theme in your work?
Yes. It’s love.
Love in all forms and colours. Love for life, for people, for nature – especially snow.
I love words, reading, and writing.
Most of all, I love my children, grandchildren, and especially my husband of 55 years – they are my greatest inspirations.
Love is the light of life.
From Free Verse to Family Legacy
How does your family react to your creative work? Are your children and grandchildren your most loyal readers?
My children and grandchildren are proud of my work, but unfortunately, they don’t read poetry.
What matters is that they have all my books.
Maybe one day they’ll read them. I don’t lose hope.
My husband is the same as our children – he doesn’t understand poetry – but he’s my total support in everything.
What message would you like to share with your readers through your poetry?
I hope that readers of my poems feel even a glimpse of what I felt when I wrote them, that they appreciate the currents of their own lives – the calm and the chaotic ones – the currents that carry them through life.
Could you share what your creative process looks like? Do you have a specific time or place for writing?
I don’t have a special time. When inspiration comes, I write until I’m done.
I always write by hand first. Pen, paper, and me.
My favourite place to write is a loveseat where I spread out my papers and have two phones for research.
I get the best ideas when I close my eyes.
After a few corrections, once I’m satisfied, the work goes to the computer.
Do you plan a collection of prose or even an autobiography?
Interesting question. This year I started writing prose, short stories – and I enjoy it.
As I said, one story was praised and selected for a book.
A book of short stories? If I live long enough.
An autobiography is not yet in the plan.
What would you say to women who may only later in life discover their passion, as you did with writing?
Dear women, the time comes when you must put yourself first.
If you’ve found your passion, do something about it.
You only have one life.
If you’re not happy, you can’t make anyone in your life happy.