When Will You Speak Out, Ali Podrimja Poem by Ali Podrimja

When Will You Speak Out, Ali Podrimja



The star goes out with a bang
You look us in the eye and gulp
Never do you turn your back on us, Ali Podrimja

You sit out there in the cold and remain silent for years
you still believe
in mankind

They counterfeit your name
your family name signature date of birth
mother's name father's name place of birth
of your ancestors
childhood tales dances games
heroes songs laments celebrations

They make fun
of your ancient language your people
and spew torrents of abuse

And you remain silent, Ali Podrimja
you still believe
in mankind

In sombre vaults in mediaeval cellars
strange concoctions appellations ruins curses
barking pursuits arrests
the savage hunt

Candles and incense are lit are quenched the words the bodies
the reservations drop away
the children take flight under the wings of fate
a Woman weaves and tears up the fabric
in a paper Tower

In the sky overhead loom shadows crows ravens
you comb golden locks
with a handful of earth in your lap
you set off for distant lands

In the fashionable part of Europe you are an Albanais
In Italy an Arbëresh in Greece an Arvanitas
In Turkey elhamdulillah an Arnaut
In America canned meat
and nothing else
nothing else

Who knows how many languages your God speaks

And you remain silent Ali Podrimja
you still believe
in mankind

But but
When will you speak out good man
Or must you first be born

Why does the moss cover your roof

POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
[Kur do të flasesh o Ali Podrimja, from the volume Zari, Prishtina: Rilindja 1990, translated from the Albanian by Robert Elsie, first published in English in Who will slay the wolf. Selected poetry by Ali Podrimja, New York, Gjonlekaj Publishing 2000, p. 229]
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
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Ali Podrimja

Ali Podrimja

Gjakova, Albania
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