“The Exile’s Return” by Slavko Mihalić: A Critical Analysis

🌿 Theme 1: The Paradox of Freedom in Exile

“The Exile’s Return” by Slavko Mihalić explores the deep paradox that true freedom often comes only after the loss of belonging. The speaker, once exiled, returns as “the ruler of the country which once exiled him,” yet he holds no official title — “He’s not a king or the king’s minister, he just does what he wants.” This ironic freedom is detached from worldly ambition; it is spiritual rather than political. The 🌊 window from which he observes “the crowds of the deluded” symbolizes both distance and insight — he watches humanity’s restlessness while remaining calm within himself. Mihalić paints exile not as punishment but as purification, a journey that strips away illusions until one becomes “wise and handsome since he’s free of purpose.” The exile’s return thus becomes a triumph of inner sovereignty — the freedom of the soul, not the throne.

🕊️ Theme 2: The Duality of Life and Death

In “The Exile’s Return” by Slavko Mihalić, the speaker embodies the delicate coexistence of vitality and stillness — “Yes, now he’s like a child and also like a tomb.” This haunting simile binds innocence and mortality in one breath, showing that rebirth and decay are intertwined. The ⚖️ balance between the two becomes the poet’s meditation on existence itself. The “child” symbolizes purity and renewal, while the “tomb” represents silence and acceptance of death. Mihalić evokes a serene stillness — the man “has wings,” suggesting potential transcendence, yet he “won’t fly,” realizing that to live wisely is to embrace limits. The 🪶 wings and 🌊 sea symbolize the human condition: full of power but guided by restraint. Just as the “sea… feels almighty and still doesn’t go about rearranging the continents,” the enlightened soul feels its vastness yet chooses peace over disruption.

🌸 Theme 3: The Beauty of Simplicity and Stillness

In Slavko Mihalić’s “The Exile’s Return,” simplicity becomes the highest form of adventure. The man who once roamed in exile now finds meaning in small, tender things: “The greatest adventure is a flower in a glass of water.” The 🌸 flower stands as a symbol of fragile beauty, momentary yet profound. The poet transforms an ordinary object into a spiritual revelation — the awareness that life’s greatest truths bloom in quiet contemplation, not conquest. With “extraordinary energy he has concentrated all his faith into it,” showing that his strength lies not in power but in patience. The 💧 glass of water mirrors human fragility — transparent, still, and temporary. As he “leans over, waiting to wither,” he welcomes the natural rhythm of decay, finding serenity “the way ashes fall from a cigarette.” This slow, graceful fall of 🌫️ ashes captures the acceptance of impermanence and the beauty of quiet surrender.

🔥 Theme 4: Transcendence Through Acceptance

“The Exile’s Return” by Slavko Mihalić culminates in the idea that enlightenment comes not through defiance but through acceptance. The speaker’s journey from exile to ruler is not about reclaiming lost power but discovering inner harmony. His refusal to “fly” despite having “wings” reveals profound self-knowledge — he has transcended desire itself. Like the 🌊 sea that “feels almighty and still doesn’t go about rearranging the continents,” he recognizes that mastery lies in stillness. The 🌺 flower and 🔥 ashes further symbolize the cycle of creation and dissolution, where acceptance of death becomes a higher form of life. Mihalić turns exile into a spiritual metaphor: when stripped of identity, one rediscovers essence; when denied the world, one gains the universe. Thus, transcendence is not escape from the world — it is the serene embrace of its impermanence and the flowering of faith within decay.

Question 1: How does exile transform identity in the poem?
In “The Exile’s Return” by Slavko Mihalić, exile emerges as a transformative force that reshapes identity beyond political or physical boundaries. The speaker, once cast out, now returns as “the ruler of the country which once exiled him.” Yet, his dominion is not over land but over self-awareness — a mastery achieved through suffering and solitude. The 🌊 window becomes a symbol of reflective distance, showing that only through separation can one gain clarity about belonging. Watching “the crowds of the deluded” below, he recognizes the futility of ambition and the hollowness of power. His wisdom — “free of purpose” — captures the spiritual maturity that exile brings: to rule oneself is a greater victory than ruling others. Thus, exile transforms identity into consciousness — freedom born of detachment.

Question 2: What is the significance of restraint and acceptance in the poem?
In Slavko Mihalić’s “The Exile’s Return,” restraint signifies enlightenment and self-mastery. The speaker admits, “At times, it seems to him, that beside two hands he has wings. But he won’t fly.” The 🪶 wings symbolize the potential for transcendence, yet his refusal to use them reflects inner peace rather than limitation. Similarly, the 🌊 sea, which “feels almighty and still doesn’t go about rearranging the continents,” illustrates controlled strength — the wisdom of stillness. Mihalić’s imagery suggests that true freedom lies not in the pursuit of endless motion but in the grace of acceptance. The exile has learned that calm restraint surpasses chaos, and silence holds more power than speech. Through serenity, the poem celebrates a moral and spiritual discipline that elevates the soul above the restless world.

Question 3: How does the poem redefine adventure and faith through simplicity?
“The Exile’s Return” by Slavko Mihalić turns away from grand quests to find divinity in stillness. When the speaker declares, “The greatest adventure is a flower in a glass of water,” he transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary. The 🌸 flower becomes a symbol of delicate existence — brief yet profoundly meaningful — while the 💧 glass of water embodies transparency and purity. Concentrating “all his faith into it,” the speaker discovers that belief is not measured by magnitude but by mindfulness. Mihalić’s “adventure” is internal, a quiet journey toward spiritual revelation through simplicity. The exile no longer seeks movement or conquest; he finds fulfillment in contemplation. Thus, the poem redefines adventure as the courage to find wonder in fragility and faith in stillness.

Question 4: How does Mihalić present mortality as serenity rather than despair?
In Slavko Mihalić’s “The Exile’s Return,” death is portrayed not as tragedy but as acceptance — the final harmony between the self and the universe. The closing image, “waiting to wither, serenely, the way ashes fall from a cigarette,” conveys quiet surrender. The 🔥 ashes symbolize peaceful dissolution, the graceful end of a journey completed. The 🌸 flower that once stood in a glass of water now withers naturally, embodying the inevitability of decay. Mihalić’s tone remains tranquil and meditative; there is no rebellion against mortality, only awareness of life’s impermanence. This serene fading suggests enlightenment — a recognition that to live fully is to die peacefully. The exile’s final return, then, is not to homeland but to universal stillness, where identity and death merge into calm transcendence.

Books

• Mihalić, Slavko. Music Is Everything: Selected Poems of Slavko Mihalić. Exile Editions, 2019.
• Mihalić, Slavko. Atlantis: Selected Poems 1953–1982. Translated by Charles Simic and Peter Kastmiler, The Greenfield Review Press, 1983.

Academic Articles

• Soljan, Antun. “Introduction to reading through Slavko Mihalić.” Most-Književna Revija 1-2 (1998): 83-88.

Poem / Poetry Website

• Mihalić, Slavko. “The Exile’s Return.” Poetry International, PoetryInternationalWeb, https://www.poetryinternational.com/en/poets-poems/poems/poem/103-24945_THE-EXILE-8217-S-RETURN