Sami Gjoka

If not doomed, not forbidden, not sinister
Must be daring, must be danger, must be dire
Even if you ended in wonder
Having no idea of these aisle
...

It is dead quiet here.
It is dark.
And it is scary.
...

Miracle of grace
That I love and chase
For a hug, a touch
To reach and to clutch
...

Now I envisioned often our valley and our homes
At the bottom of the hill that has not a blade of grass
Not a plant or not a tree,
Not a single human face.
...

He had known
That the music of your feet
That the rhythm of your steps
He would seek on every street
...

Therefore, darling, take my hand,
Throw your sandals in the sand,
Let us run against the sun,
To the pleasures of the rays
...

Our names
Are less known, by each day,
To the towns we’re born
Across devastated lands
...

Every morning, I feel tired, to go down through the steps
Tired even if it means just to reach the escalator
Drown to a total frazzle, like a man that never slept
Enough lately. There I toss the drained, carton coffee cup.
...

And when he had arrived it appeared as if the night
Was simply a woman that gave birth
Leaving him there, all alone
Like a child
...

Eating, sliced, watermelon
That we bought from the stand,
In a lovely slow motion,
From her fingers, from her hand,
...

He coughed and coughed, and coughed, and coughed
And coughed, and coughed, and coughed again
Again, again, again he coughed
And coughed and coughed, and coughed in pain.
...

Just like the wave that increases its noise
Approaching the rock of white solid stone
And throws and thrusts itself with force
Against such a rock in sprinkles and foam
...

There was only rain above,
And only mud was below.
I had flown like a dove
To land like a scary crow.
...

The greatest man that I have known, walked behind the door
“To light a cigarette” perhaps, my mother must have thought
Alone and lonely in her bed; her feet weak and cold,
Her knees pulled closer to her chest, her thighs just skin and bones
...

The shade of the berry tree is no more,
No more, my son
All the leaves on all the trees
Are burned by the torching sun.
...

You asked me what I do.

Lost in oceans, deep and blue, of your soft and sweet eyes
I felt, coming from my longs, through the valley of my mouth,
...

He had frozen in my arms,
As if made of snow and ice
That is ready to melt down
...

Dressed in silk your tender body
Flower are you and much more,
Even if I’m cut to slices
Still I’ll kiss you to this floor.
...

Like a boat that came aground from a lengthy stay at sea
We descended hills of Buddha, praying at each holy sight
Strolling down, through the city to enjoy the scenery
Where earthly sins of human drink the fountains of divine
...

Parting from my brother

A stream that flew, and flew, and flew
Against every single barrier
...