I’ll turn all the lights off

And I would stay in the darkness…

Fejzë Demiri was born on 15 January 1997, in Stubell, Gjakove (Kosovo). He studied at the “FAMA” College, General Psychology branch, in Pristina, (Kosovo). His books include: Dedicating verses I, poetry (2012), Dedicating verses II, poetry (2014), In the Sea of Love and Saying (wise words and authorial thoughts), 2016; When the soul is thirsty, Fishta (Pristina, 2016); Candles for light, Pristina (2017); Time pain, Pristina (2018); My little one, Pristina (2019) and The Spirit with Dad, Prishtina (2020).

FOR YOU

For you

I’ll turn all the lights off

And I would stay in the darkness

I will also turn off the last candle, burned flame

Of spirits

Because, neither the light

Will have any sense without you.

***

LOVE COHESION

Darling

Wait for me to come one day

As particle molecules

Wait for me

Let’s get together, in this cohesion of love.

GATEWAY OF THE HEART

Whenever you feel lonely

You can open the gateway of my heart

There is still room for exit – entry.

***

CANDLES FOR LIGHT

How many candles are lit?

To get rid of this darkness

But I did not know

That the darkness extinguishes all candles.

***

I WILL COME

I’ll come one day

To remove your tears

I’ll be your smile

Although I won’t be with you

I’ll be in your footsteps

Let me please

To be your sleep

***

LIFE WITH UPS AND DOWNS

Why does my life bring me torrential rains?

Nausea, fatigue

You know how much I need the sun, light and knowledge

Sometimes I try not to stop the light in the tower,

 the shepherd’s fiddle

Do not exhaust the water source

Why does my life force me to say the word without weighing it

A distinguished man

I removed as much as I could, I didn’t chock the snake, the worm

I didn’t even destroy a wasp’s nest

Before you finish eating

I was not in the habit of leaving the table

In the past I loved art, beauty

With an espresso coffee I dived into the deep ocean of thought

Infinite Space

And my life blames me for not doing more,

That I could not stop the vanities of time

Why does my life demand things I can’t do?

I don’t even have the strength to change them

If you walk on the street

I only managed to wipe his tears

Please don’t blame me, out of skin

I can’t go out.

___________________  

Read: Keep Moving Forward- Poetry from Kosovo

The post For You… Poetry from Kosovo first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Interview with the Kosovar Director, Publisher and Writer Dibran Fylli  

By Angela Kosta 

What drives you to move from stage to directing, and also from directing to poetry, and how are these two worlds connected for you?

Direction is a profession; the stage, for me and for every artist, is the sacred space where the characters of the artistic “game” come to life, while poetry is a passion that, as poetic creativity, is closely tied to my profession. Writing poetry, for me, means creating or developing an event even more than a drama or a screenplay does; therefore, above all, and primarily, it is literature.

In what way has your experience as an actor influenced the way you build characters in your writing?

As I mentioned above, a character is built well and successfully only when their character is clearly described and detailed; then it can be said that half the work is done and the actor is left with the performance. Only in this way is a character fully realized, whether in prose, novels, poetry, drama, or even film.

What is the role of historical memory, and how much does it influence your inspiration in your poetic production?

To be honest, our history as a people who have suffered greatly has left traces in the memory not only of mine but of every other writer; that is why we write, remembering the suffering, the hardships, the sacrifices, and the renunciations of many generations for freedom and independence. However, what plays an important role in my historical memory is the war of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), in which I was also a member, and the titanic resistance of the martyr commander Adem Jashari, whom during the war I called “He is Alive.” Even today and forever, who can say otherwise—that he is not alive? This is and will remain my most important work, both literary and artistic, a work that will endure over time, as long as the Albanian language and word exist.

As promoter and publisher of the magazine ORFEU, what criteria do you use to select new voices, and how difficult is it to maintain quality in modern times?

This is a kind of sacrifice, because maintaining strict criteria and selecting new voices—publishing texts with literary, cultural, and artistic value, while at the same time preserving quality in modern times—is very difficult. Today’s poetry, even contemporary poetry—not to criticize or reject it—but in most cases is written without leaving a message, as if it were meant to be implied; however, in reality it remains suspended, incomprehensible, without metaphor, without a clear message. It is true that poetry is also read between the lines, but this only happens when the verses are composed according to literary poetics and aesthetics.

What motivated you to address such a delicate and powerful theme as the legendary figure of Adem Jashari in your book?

The book “He is Alive” is a chronology that reflects the war, sacrifice, and successful leadership of the immortal Commander Adem Jashari, up until his death at the beginning of March 1998, considering that even after his death the war continued in his spirit until the liberation of Kosovo. During the war, precisely on its first anniversary, on March 6, 1999, I created a screenplay and another theatrical performance entitled “He is Alive,” staging it in difficult circumstances, under wartime conditions, amid Serbian offensives, in front of thousands of citizens who remained in the combat zones and in front of many Kosovo soldiers, leaving a strong impression, also artistically, that the commander was still alive. After the end of the war, I also produced the chronological book with the same title, inspired by the performance. With the help of the multidimensional promoter Angela Kosta, this book has been translated into 16 languages: Albanian, English, German, French, Italian, Turkish, Croatian, Slovenian, Spanish, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese, Polish, Punjabi, Assamese, and Korean; furthermore, in most of these countries it has also been published and distributed through social networks, platforms, magazines, and well-known newspapers.

How did you experience the process of translating your work into 16 languages? Do you think the message retains the same weight across different cultures?

For me and for our culture, this is an extraordinary experience, because it demonstrates not only the culture of writing, but also preserves an irreplaceable historical memory of our liberation war, identifying it with a unique case in the world: the fall of 59 members of Commander Jashari’s family for freedom and independence.

As for the message and its weight in different cultures, I would like to quote some lines from the review by Yang Geum-Hee, lecturer, publisher, translator, and vice president of the Association of Korean Writers:

“With great pleasure I present to Korean readers ‘Prekazi, Generations of the Brave – He is Alive (chronology)’, a biography of the heroes of Kosovo’s independence who fought and fell for freedom. Kosovo, located on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, is a country largely unknown to Korean readers. This lack of awareness is reinforced by the fact that Korea and Kosovo have not yet established official diplomatic relations. However, if we look for similarities between the two nations, Korea also achieved independence through the sacrifices and efforts of independence fighters during the Japanese colonial period. Furthermore, Korea experienced the tragedy of civil war during the Korean War, which left indelible wounds on the nation. Considering Korea’s own history of struggles for independence, I believe Korean readers will deeply understand the story of Kosovo’s independence heroes and their fight for freedom.”

In the films you create, are there direct elements that come from your poetry or literary writings?

Yes, and there are quite a few. If we take some concrete examples, I can mention the poem “The Persistence of a Child,” in which a boy asks by all possible means for an emblem of the KLA from Kosovo soldiers. I developed it into a story, turning it into a screenplay for a short film titled “The Child and the War.” Then, from the poem “Fires and Destructions,” I created the screenplay for an artistic film titled “Arbëri’s Alphabet” (Arbëri is a child who leaves his homework unfinished because he and his family are forced to leave their home to flee from Serbian forces; when they return, they find the house destroyed and the notebook with the alphabet partially burned). There are many other stories that I have transformed into film screenplays, which I try to bring to life, despite insufficient financial conditions.

How do you see the role of art and literature in reflecting and documenting the suffering of an entire people?

Art has an important role in reflecting and documenting the pain of a people, especially when this is represented correctly, without deception, but exactly as it was, as the events unfolded, also through the production of documentary films and their broadcast on television. So, I say this without hesitation: I am the only director who, since the post-war period, has made more than 40 documentary films on the above-mentioned theme, all archived at Radio Television of Kosovo and beyond.

I believe I have fulfilled my duty to my profession, using in each documentary the phrase: “Not to pass the time, but not to forget our recent past, difficult and full of sacrifices.”

What challenges does a writer face when dealing with historical and political themes in a contemporary context?

I think this question does not require many comments! If we are talking about historical themes, the first challenge is that there is very little institutional support, if any at all, because it almost seems as if there is a desire to forget what happened in Kosovo. As for political themes, for true artists they are practically inaccessible, because if you do not write according to the will of political parties, not only do you receive no support, but you are also ignored, labeled undesirable by the government, or even worse: against it! What I have said may not please some, but it is the reality of our time—an endless time.

In this wide range of roles that you hold, where do you feel most free to express your truth?

I always feel more free when my heart is inhabited by the role or character connected to the history of my deeply tormented people, and also in roles or characters with themes of love, but always within the limits of human dignity.

How does moral responsibility toward history and national figures influence your creative process?

I pay particular attention when, in my literary or artistic production, I represent the history of national figures, because there I feel not only a moral responsibility, but also a national one; therefore, I try to be very cautious.

What message would you like to convey to the new generation through your artistic and literary works?

First of all, I wish and appeal for today’s young people to read as many books as possible, and not limit themselves only to social networks, because most of them exist for views and for the interests of their owners, whereas literary and artistic works by any author contain at least one message and an invitation to good rather than evil—even if in some cases they also represent evil, but by criticizing it in different forms. As for my artistic and literary works, I say: read them, because there you will find understandable messages, and only then will you truly know me.

How do you balance artistic sensitivity with the need to be direct when addressing painful historical themes?

Artistic sensitivity is a necessity for every artist. Understanding a work or dealing with painful historical themes is, I would say, history itself; therefore every film scene or theatrical scene must have artistic sensitivity, just like every literary creation.

What was the most difficult moment of your creative journey and how did it influence your development as an artist?

First of all, I attended the Academy of Arts not in my mother tongue, and this was my greatest challenge… later I faced almost continuous challenges, fear and challenge together, when during the war I staged performances, even founding a military theatre as well as many other initiatives. But all this had a positive impact and strengthened my conviction in forming my character as an artist and a rebellious creator, who has never worked to please others by violating my principles and my oath to authentic art.

If you had to describe your artistic mission in a single sentence, what would it be?

My artistic identity is what it is!

___________________

Angela Kosta is the Executive Director of the Magazines: MIRIADE, NUANCES ON THE PANORAMIC CANVAS, BRIDGES OF LITERATURE, journalist, poet, essayist, publisher, literary critic, editor, translator, promoter

The post Preserving Kosovo History through Art first appeared on Sindh Courier.

the moon becomes pregnant…

Lan Qyqalla, a poet from Republic of Kosovo, graduated from the Faculty of Philology, specializing in Albanian Language and Literature, at the University of Prishtina in the Republic of Kosovo. He is currently a professor of Albanian language at a secondary school. His literary and critical writings have appeared in numerous newspapers, magazines, radio and television platforms, and digital media. His work has been translated and published in multiple languages, including English, Romanian, French, Turkish, Arabic, Italian, Greek, Swedish, Hindi, Spanish, and Korean. He has published more than 19 literary works to date, including poetry, short stories, and plays, in Albanian, French, Romanian, English, Turkish, Swedish, Spanish, Polish, and German. He has received several national and international literary awards and has been featured in numerous global anthologies of poetry and fiction.

WHEN THE POET LOVES

When the poet loves

the moon becomes pregnant

with the autumn pollen

the stars laugh with Pitagora’s theorem

the sun receives rays of love

Tsunami become the poet’s words

Lora is immersed in the block of salt.

When the poet sings

adorns the world

with the smell of love

he gives the mountains

Beethoven’s symphony

the rivers are enjoying

Mrika’s* work

the sea of poet’s feelings

and Lora falls asleep

on the wedding stone

a living metaphor

in infinite verses

• Mrika is the first opera in the Albanian language.

***

METAMORPHOSIS

(Lora of New York)

Loraa asked me to imitate Odysseus,

not to listen

sirens of the deep,

nor the poet’s erotic verses

in the rocky waves of the sea.

In New York he studied Pythagoras,

the language of mimicry read the unspoken word

wrote it in saltiness,

where life is a dream

and the dream becomes life.

The epic words underwent a metamorphosis,

the seagulls danced

over our heads,

deep sea conception

shivers run through,

air in New York

I missed the thrill of life.

***

LORA FROM PRISHTINA

The Goddess descends into memories

Lora took into her arms

the blessed silence

an eye she gave to love

a song to the sun

to evil she gave the smile

her lips enchanted me

embracing the dream of the poet…

Again with Lora of Prishtina

we often meet on the boulevard

looking at the shadows of the rocks

beauty walks courageous

in love as the meteor of words

rain with arrows in sight

her lips put ash on my tongue

where the unspoken word slopes

the missing halt

during the white sleep

Lora of Prishtina –

gives a song to the sun.

______________ 

Read: Keep Moving Forward- Poetry from Kosovo

The post Poetry: When the poet loves first appeared on Sindh Courier.

By Angela Kosta

At the beginning of 2026, writer Alketa Gashi Fazliu presents her latest book, Klithma (The Cry), a collection of deeply unsettling literary testimonies. Remaining faithful to her long-standing engagement with the narratives of Kosovo War victims, Gashi once again brings forward powerful accounts that confront the legacy of violence, state-sponsored crimes, and the enduring trauma left by the war in Kosovo.

She first drew wide public attention with her earlier work dedicated to the mothers of Kosovo—women who continue to live with the irreversible loss of their sons and daughters in the struggle for freedom. That book, Ato gdhendin dhimbjen (They Carve Pain), became one of the most widely read and circulated literary testimonies in Albanian-speaking communities, particularly among the diaspora.

Klithma marks a distinctive literary moment. As the author notes in her introductory reflection, the book is not simply a compilation of stories, but a resolute stand against collective forgetting. The voices within do not appear as distant memories; they emerge as living cries of conscience—urgent, uncompromising, and demanding remembrance, justice, and historical responsibility.

Through Klithma, Gashi seeks to awaken collective moral awareness and to preserve the painful truth of war, transforming literature into an act of witnessing and ethical resistance.

The newly released work by the journalist, poet, and widely recognized writer—also a prominent cultural figure and long-time television presenter at Kosovo’s Public Broadcaster (RTK)—is accompanied by thoughtful reflections from academician Pellumb Xhufi; the celebrated poet, physician, and national heroine Dr. Flora Brovina; professor and writer Bajram Kosumi; and renowned journalist Ilva Tare.

Klithma brings together eight narratives told by individuals who are now adults, each recounting with stark authenticity the physical and emotional mutilation they suffered in childhood and early youth, caused by bombs and landmines during the war in Kosovo.

______________

Angela Kosta is Executive Director of the Magazines: MIRIADE, NUANCES ON THE PANORAMIC CANVAS, BRIDGES OF LITERATURE, journalist, poet, essayist, publisher, literary critic, editor, translator, promoter

Read: Keep Moving Forward- Poetry from Kosovo

The post Alketë Gashi Voices Kosovo War Cries first appeared on Sindh Courier.

To that place where verses become shelter,

And silence — an innocent voice.

Prof. Dr. Xhulfere Spahija (Xhuli) is a renowned poet from Kosovo

Prof. Dr. Xhulfere Spahija (Xhuli) born on 04.11.1969, in Breznica. Lives and works in Gjilan (Kosovo). Xhuli is the author of two books on psychology, the terms Positive Thinking and Love for Life. She is an activist and world-renowned for her divine deeds in the mission of human rights and Peace-Love and Prosperity for humanity. Honored with certificates of honor, gold certificates and excellence at the same time she was honored with the highest award Icon of Peace through messages and books that she distributes every day to readers around the world following with much love that she brings even from a distance.

The Flame That Walks in Silence

In the darkness, a flame grows,

A light trembling within circles of silence,

A breath that refuses to fade.

Step by step, I walk,

Feeling the weight of choices I cannot see,

Yet they shape me — like stones on the road of the soul.

No voice leads my way,

Only an inner faith that shields me,

A quiet fire burning steady

Beneath a sky trembling with golden whys and wounded hows.

I know — every scar is a story,

Every tear a testament,

And this journey is not for glory,

But for remembrance: to know I have lived.

When the night grows heavier,

And dreams drift far away,

I remain, believing:

Light will come — softer, slower,

To that place where verses become shelter,

And silence — an innocent voice.

_________________ 

Read: Keep Moving Forward- Poetry from Kosovo

The post The Flame That Walks in Silence first appeared on Sindh Courier.

When the wind blows against you and hope feels rough.

Prof. Dr. Xhulfere Spahija (Xhuli) is a renowned poet from Kosovo

Prof. Dr. Xhulfere Spahija (Xhuli) born on 04.11.1969, in Breznica. Lives and works in Gjilan (Kosovo). Xhuli is the author of two books on psychology, the terms Positive Thinking and Love for Life. She is an activist and world-renowned for her divine deeds in the mission of human rights and Peace-Love and Prosperity for humanity. Honored with certificates of honor, gold certificates and excellence at the same time she was honored with the highest award Icon of Peace through messages and books that she distributes every day to readers around the world following with much love that she brings even from a distance.

Keep Moving Forward

Keep moving forward, even when the road is tough,

When the wind blows against you and hope feels rough.

Don’t forget: every step is a victory,

Every obstacle a lesson—not failure, but strength in history.

Life doesn’t wait for those who stand still,

Nor reward the ones who’ve lost their will.

But those who rise again and again,

Are the ones who carve light through the pain!

 Don’t fear the fall, don’t fear the fail,

They’re chapters, not endings in your trail.

Each morning is a brand-new start,

Each today—a chance to grow, to open your heart.

 Be brave, be true,

Listen to your heart when the world turns blue.

Because life is a gift, and it won’t repeat,

So live it with passion—each day is a beat.

***

Ajna – Where My Happiness Begins

Ajna, my dear,

There are things the heart feels long before the mind can understand them.

That’s how it was with you.

Even before you spoke your first word, you told me everything I needed to know.

With your eyes—deep as the sea—and your pure gaze, you showed me that love cannot be learned; it is born.

It simply is.

 There isn’t a day that goes by without me thinking how lucky I am to have you as part of my life.

Every time you call my name with your sweet voice, I stop and listen with my whole soul.

Because every word that comes from your lips has meaning.

It has life.

It has light.

There’s a kind of peace that fills me when you’re near.

It’s not just joy—it’s something deeper.

It’s a feeling that tells me everything will be alright, as long as you are here.

Because you, my Ajna, are not just a child growing up.

You are the most beautiful part of my soul, growing outside of me.

 You’ve made me want to keep every memory alive—to hold your little voice in my mind,

To remember the way you laugh, the way you run toward me,

The way you take my hand without asking, as if you already know that’s where you belong.

 And yes, that’s where you belong.

That’s where you always will.

 In my hand.

In my heart.

In every corner of my soul that shines brighter because of you.

 This life holds many beautiful things, Ajna,

But I have found the most beautiful of them all: you.

And for as long as I breathe, you will be the miracle that never stops inspiring me.

With the love that only a grandparent’s heart can hold.

_______________________   

Read: Poetry: Give People a Smile

The post Keep Moving Forward- Poetry from Kosovo first appeared on Sindh Courier.

A smile with sweetness

Aim for God’s Pleasure

So that the reward may reach you.

Prof. Dr. Xhulfere Spahija from Kosovo shares her thoughts and a poem

Prof. Dr. Xhulfere Spahija (Known as Xhuli in Albanian and Julie in English), born on 04.11.1969, in Breznica, lives and works in Gjilan, Kosovo. Xhuli is the author of two books on psychology, on the themes of Positive Thinking and Love for Life – ‘Design Life’ and the other one ‘Smile Life’. She is an activist and world-renowned for her divine deeds in the mission of human rights and Peace-Love and Prosperity for humanity.  Honored with certificates of honor, gold certificates and excellence at the same time, she was honored with the highest award Icon of Peace through messages and books that Julie distributes every day to readers around the world following with much love that she brings even from a distance. Julie is a divine woman and a blessing to all who know her and has little to say about this divine woman so I am closing with a message that Julie gives us for peace.

“There has never been a good war or a bad peace.” Peace in the psychological sense reflects a healthy state of calm and harmony.  In particular, peace means the absence of war or violence.

The message is that every human being is called to live in peace, harmony, joy, tolerance, dialogue and to express his values, those inspired, those conveyed in terms of heritage.  In particular, we Albanians have a stronger sense than others to celebrate independence, to truly celebrate in the depths of our human being as sovereign and generous.

Never with violence, never with war, never with terrorism.  To bring justice and peace, love, forgiveness and life on earth. Darkness cannot be with weapons, but by turning on the light at all.

The famous sign, which is not afraid and does not give up in the face of the idiocy of war, the symbol that terrorizes warriors, arrogant, fills decades and is still not tired of fighting.  The symbol known by all was born on a holy day.

Let the symbol of peace warm the hearts of those suffering from war conflicts, let it be a symbol of liberation for the poor and oppressed and a sign of mercy for those who are locked in sin. Peace is valuable and inalienable for all.

Smile

Smile your face

May light cover

The chambers of your soul

And happiness prevail.

Give people

A smile with sweetness

Aim for God’s Pleasure

So that the reward may reach you.

A smile

Is a treasure of kindness!

Give it with sincerity

To everyone you know

A smile

Is a precious gift

Smile

To be happy, joyful!

***

Buzëqesh

Buzëqesh fytyrën tënde

Nuri ta mbulojë

në dhomëzat e shpirtit tënd

lumturia të mbizotërojë.

Dhuroja njerëzve

një buzëqeshje me ëmbëlsi

syno Kënaqësinë e Zotit

që shpërblimi tek ty të arrij.

Një buzëqeshje

Është thesar me mirësi

dhuroja me sinqeritet

kujtdo që njeh ti

Një buzëqeshje

Është dhuratë e çmuar

buzëqesh

të jesh i lumtur, i gëzuar!

______________ 

Read: Farewell – Poetry from Kosovo

The post Poetry: Give People a Smile first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Have their own alphabet

Because those who are there understand

The path was paved with blood…

Dashnim Hebibi, a renowned poet and journalist from Kosovo, shares his poetry

Dashnim Hebibi, PhD, a journalist, poet, moderator, and publicist from Presheva, was born on June 12, 1976 in Vranjë, a city that was once full of Albanians, a few kilometers from Presheva, near the Red Apple Region. As a young man, he began writing about these regions, such as Presheva, Medvegja, and Bujanoc. After completing primary and secondary school in Presheva, he immediately turned to higher education. Dashnim Hebibi graduated from the Faculty of Journalism in Tirana (1995-1999), and during his studies he wrote for many Albanian written media of the time, meeting various personalities. He has also completed several postgraduate studies, such as the Diplomatic Academy and Crisis Management in Tirana and in 2011 he completed his Master’s Degree in Diplomacy at SEEU – Tetovë. Dashnim graduated from the International Academy of Criminalistics with the well-known Mr. Avi Bleier, in Tel Aviv, Israel. He worked for several years as the diaspora editor for the “Bota Sot” daily newspaper, editorial office in Zurich; he worked as a correspondent at the Macedonian Television, editorial office in Albanian, for three years in a row from Switzerland. He has edited and redacted many papers, always as a freelance journalist. Until February 2010, he was the director of the ‘Albanian Media Center’ (the only media center of the Albanian Diaspora), as editor of the ‘Kosova e Re’ News Agency, as an information window for the Albanian Diaspora. Dashnim Hebibi is widely recognized among the Albanian diaspora for his great contribution to the integration of Albanian society. He has participated in various events related to his homeland, both in political, cultural, sports and social aspects. He published the Diaspora Newspaper ‘AMC Press’, ‘Kosova e Re’ throughout the Albanian diaspora, but for financial reasons he had to discontinue it. He also wrote several patriotic songs for our most prominent singers, such as Arif Vladi, etc. He also collaborated with TV Diaspora-RTK for the Swiss edition. He was also a correspondent for TVM, the Albanian language editorial office, during the war in Macedonia, where Mr. Hebibi had daily reports from the Albanian diaspora. Hebibi was also the initiator of the first Albanian Library in Switzerland, specifically in Zurich in 2002. Dashnim has also participated in many organizations for the benefit of the Albanian diaspora in Switzerland, and has also received numerous recognitions from associations operating throughout the Albaniandiaspora, such as the Albanian Teachers and Parents League in Switzerland and Germany. He also worked as deputy editor-in-chief of the “Plisi” Monthly Magazine, which was published in Switzerland. He spent no less than two decades in this profession. His writings are published in many media outlets in his homeland and abroad. He is currently the Director of the Helvetic Scientific Institute of Southeast Europe based in Switzerland. On 24.03.2023, he successfully completed the third cycle of doctoral studies at the Faculty of Contemporary Social Sciences, Study Program: Political Science at SEEU of North Macedonia. He has also published several scientific papers in various scientific journals. He also runs the Albanian Media Center in Switzerland, SAM24.info.

His published works include: ‘A Hundred Hours of Travel’ (collection of poems); ​‘Hidden Moon’ (collection of poems); ‘Time with Many Holes’ (prose);​ ‘Reading the Earth’ (poetry); ​‘Kosovo, a Mother Fire’ (collection of poems); ​‘Dialogue with the Stone’ (poetry, Albanian-German); ​‘The Aristocracy of the Spirit’ (poetry, Albanian-English); ​‘16 Bullets of the Word’ (collection of poems); ​‘Interviews in Transition I’ (summary of interviews); ​‘Interviews in Transition II’ (summary of interviews); ​‘Interviews in Transition III’ (summary of interviews); ​‘Interviews in Transition IV’ (summary of interviews); ​The Monography of the Humanitarian Association ‘Medvegja’ entitled ’30 Years in the Service of the Nation’; ​The Monography of the Humanitarian Association ‘Presheva Valley’ entitled ‘10 Years for the Nation’; “Inspiring Women of the Albanian Diaspora”, part one and two, and many others.

Story of the Oak of the Red Apple Country

I have been inside an oak tree

At a very young age

There I felt something special

A dream of roots

A dream of spreading branches

My pain is sufficient to me

I don’t need whispers

I will suffer the necessary suffering of life

My time has this direction

My window is open with all the travelers of light

Presheva is my same land

They call it the Red Apple Region

Like Kosova, the same

Like Ilirida, the same

Like Ulqin the same

Like Shkup, the same

Like Çameria!

The branches of the oak tree and its bark

Have their own alphabet

Because those who are there understand

The path was paved with blood

A lot of pain has been endured

There is the oak tree

There will be the branches

Because the sun is Illyrian

Even today

I have the same wound of time

And the same pain…

***

The Red Apple Province is ours

The province in the heart of Albanian Nation

With its capital city, Presheva

Protects the stone of memory

Guards the stone of morning

Make a fist with your hand

Don’t forget, put it in memory

The blood of the brave does not melt

If we don’t hold ourselves

The crops will be devastated

Freedom must be witnessed

In well-being and construction!

I have Presheva as the main song of my heart

Albanians in the flag

The main song in poetry

Spirit of the land in that ethnicity.

***

In Zürich Platz

There, I feel my silent word

That weighs like a stone on the language of exile,

The silence that speaks with the voice of the fields of Presheva,

With the sigh of the mountains that bear the scars of war.

In “Zürich Platz”,

My steps knock on the pavement

As if they were verses carved in stone.

I am writing an epitaph for myself,

For the tear that carries memories

Of a homeland that calls out among foreign languages,

Of a time that has not stopped its shooting.

In “Zürich Platz”,

The sight of children in Preshevë

Comes like an echo amidst the noise of the city.

The flowers in the gardens of old houses

Bloom

To see life,

To testify that mother Xhevahire

Waters them with memories,

As if to keep an entire world alive in their roots.

In “Zürich Platz”,

I stopped a few moments ago,

To meet family, friends, comrades and loved ones.

I met my brother, I called Jeton,

And he saw me through the eyes of a difficult time.

Together with my brother,

We have the same wound,

The same pain,

The same love for the future of a region

That remains a longing and pain in the chest of a nation.

At that moment of conversation,

The shadow stood at our feet,

Listening to our words and writing them on the asphalt.

We, by gasoline (car), measured the kilometers,

The same as the morning pennies for coffee,

As if to measure how far we have come,

How far we have left.

Time comes,

With its roots as the shadow of history.

It follows us, speaks to us,

Reminds us that we are there, between two worlds,

Separated by borders,

But never by heart.

(Translation by Jeton Arifi -Prishtina)

___________________

Coordinated by Angela Kosta Executive Director of the Magazines: MIRIADE, NUANCES ON THE PANORAMIC CANVAS, BRIDGES OF LITERATURE, journalist, poet, essayist, publisher, literary critic, editor, translator, promoter

The post Poetry: The Oak of the Red Apple Country first appeared on Sindh Courier.

As a mortuary skeleton

Nor as a shadow under a moon’s light

Because on that day the Sun doesn’t warm…

Bilall Maliqi, an Albanian writer and poet from Serbia, shares his poetry

Bilall Maliqi, a writer, poet and publicist, was born in on April 08, 1969 in a village ElezBAli, municipality of Presheva, the cultural center of Albanians in Serbia. He writes poetry and prose for children and adults. He deals also with literature critics. He is the author of 43 works: poetry for children, for adults, prose for children and adults, journalism and literary critics. Maliqi is a founder and editor in chief of the magazine “Qendresa” which is published in Presheva Valley. Maliqi is a honorary president of association of Presheva writers; a member of League of Writers of Kosova; member of the board “Atunis” and President of “Atunis Lugina” in Presheva.

LETTER TO AZRAIL

Don’t come in this burning heat

As a mortuary skeleton

Nor as a shadow under a moon’s light

Because on that day the Sun doesn’t warm

And at night the moon is furious

Extinguishes the light of evil

And through the frontal lines

Are descending the years of dawn

Then

Your arrival is awaited by time

Leaves open the door of a room

Where I wait horizontally

As a public notary

Of drained decades

Do not come Azrail

In the times of branched blunders

Or in instants where are fallen

The unfinished deeds

Come at a time when desire

Encrusts in its shoulder a cherished hope to live

That is grey-haired by time…

(Azrail – Angel, who takes the souls at the brink of death)

***

LOVE FLOWER

I pulled a few red perennials

From Eden’s garden

To give them to you

In this day

That is scintillating as a daylight

They spread an aroma

Just like your neck

With a perfume scent 

That awakens

My sleepy senses

Tear down my lust

These mixed aromas

Of a love flower.

***

I CLOSED A SECRECY

I captured (today) secrecy

 (Love)

In that narrow street

Where you become asphixiated

Exhausted without air nor light

Without hearing any word (good word)

I caught your soft hand

With a curated skin

From there i grabbed you

Closed the secrets

With the lock of time

To fill those lungs

With air of love

(Translated from Albanian to English: Peter Tase)

_______________ 

Read: Preshevo My Wound: Poetry from Kosovo

The post Poetry: Letter to Azrail first appeared on Sindh Courier.

In your eyes, I felt longing,

In your embrace, a sob-

Torn, yet still alive.

Valbona R. Hadri, an acclaimed poetess from Kosovo, shares her poetry

Valbona R. Hadri was born in Ferizaj, where she completed her primary and secondary education. She later earned a degree in Albanian Language and Literature from the Faculty of Philology in Prishtina. After completing her undergraduate studies in literature, she pursued a master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy in Prishtina. Additionally, she completed a second master’s degree in Albanian Language at the Faculty of Education, specializing in the Teaching of Albanian Language and Literature.

Valbona has worked as a language teacher and later served as Deputy Director and Director at a school in Prishtina. Later, she was employed as an official in the Department of Pre-University Education at the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation, where she currently works as an Education Inspector. She was a member of the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (KMDLNJ), contributing to the collection of data on the period from 1945 to 1991 and documenting violence against activists and others. As a dedicated activist, she played a key role in fundraising efforts for education and providing aid to impoverished families. During that time, she published poetry in the newspaper of the Student Union of the Higher School.

Her family was continuously persecuted by the ruling authorities of the time, being seen as a threat by the oppressors. Growing up in such a difficult environment, she often witnessed her father being mistreated by those in power. She began writing while still a primary school student, and her poems and writings have been published in various literary magazines and newspapers. In 2020, she published her first poetry collection, Një sy vashe (A Maiden’s Eye). Her second poetry collection, Me Hënën në Duar (With the Moon in My Hands), was published in 2021 by the Writers’ Association of Peja. In 2023, she published another poetry collection, Ende Frymon (Still Breathing).

Her literary work has been recognized with numerous certificates of appreciation and awards, including contributions to anthologies and book publications. Her writings continue to be published in national and international newspapers, earning her a place among many poets and writers. She is the recipient of the prestigious “Ibrahim Rugova” Award, winning First Place for her poem Vet më the (You Told Me Yourself) in the international poetry competition organized by the Literary Club “Podguri” in Istog, as well as Second Place in the traditional poetry competition organized by the Library of Prizren. Valbona also won the “Shkëlzen Zhubi” Award at the International Traditional Literary Gathering “Peja Poetike” – 2021 in the grand literary session “Shkëlzen Zhubi.”

On May 26, 2022, her poem Seç tha trimi sypatrembur (What the Fearless Hero Said) won First Place in the Literary Contest dedicated to the “Reconciliation of Blood Feuds in Kosovo,” at the 18th edition of the Bytyçi Festival. Her poem Plagë e Vjetër (An Old Wound) received Third Place in this competition. On November 4, 2021, she was awarded Third Place for her poem Atdhe (Homeland) at the National Literature Festival, 10th Edition, organized by the PROKULT Association in Podujevë. In 2022, during the November literary celebrations in the Library of Prizren, her poem Mendjendriturit (The Enlightened Ones) was awarded Second Place. Her poetry has been included in several international anthologies, such as Nuk jam bordi yt, o det (I Am Not Your Shore, O Sea), and Trirema e Poezisë Joniane (The Trireme of Ionian Poetry), published by the Ionian Writers’ Club, 16th Edition.

In 2023, she was honored as Poet of the Year by the Writers’ Association of Peja. At the 2024 edition of the traditional literary gathering “Peja Poetike,” organized by the Writers’ Association of Peja, her poem Përballë Jetës (Facing Life) won First Place.

A jury composed of contemporary Albanian poets selected her works for inclusion in the anthology La poesia contemporanea Albanese (Contemporary Albanian Poetry), published in Paris. Her poetry was translated into French alongside those of fifty-nine other international poets. She was also included in the anthology Kurorë fjalësh (A Wreath of Words), En krans av ord, featuring 147 poets.

FAREWELL

Farewell, my heart’s beloved,

In your eyes, I felt longing,

In your embrace, a sob-

Torn, yet still alive.

A shiver, with tears in my eyes,

Gently overtook me.

The warm breath of your sigh

Made me a child once more.

I love you like the wind-unseen,

Yet always felt with every touch.

My soul remains with you,

Hoping we shall meet again.

Now I ascend to the sky,

Heart overflowing,

With the source of sweetness,

With the most beautiful memories,

Holding in my hands the book of love.

***

AGAIN

I offer my sleeplessness to the night,

A gentle kiss to the winter sky,

A handful of caresses to the anxious birds,

So they may feel at peace.

I offer my mind a fleeting calm,

Let it rest undisturbed tonight,

To cast the chains of doubt into a corner

And invite sleep upon my bed.

I offer truth a long conversation,

So it won’t perish listening to lies.

With the keys of knowledge, I break every shackle,

Separating spring from autumn.

So many doze off in an endless night,

Wrapped in the cloak of absurd darkness.

The masters of deceit are shameless travelers,

Sailing through turbulent seas.

In their gaze lies a death foretold,

Wrapped in ribbons of black.

Time has grown weary of their tricks,

And so, the day always appears gray to me.

***

FOR YOU, MOTHER

Here, where you are,

The air carries the scent of milk and March sighs.

The green acacias whisper,

And the ocean transforms into an eye.

I step into your eyes like a boat

Each time the sun drifts from the shore

And the evening leans, weary, against the sails.

Something stirs within me.

Dark nights drift far away,

While a soothing peace embraces me.

Here, where you are, TIME stands still,

And I instantly ascend to your age,

Beside you, as if by magic.

Every glance turns into a smile,

And for a brief moment,

The gates of paradise swing open.

Your hands, scented with bread and longing,

Instantly create a refuge for me and my children.

Each time the house of my faith crumbles in the winds,

And the roof begins to leak,

I cannot bring myself to say it-

My sweetest Mother.

Within my chest lies a hidden clock,

Its rhythm in sync with the beating of your heart.

Each time I worry,

Its hands turn back,

Begging love

To create another time.

_______________

Coordinated by Angela Kosta Executive Director of the Magazines: MIRIADE, NUANCES ON THE PANORAMIC CANVAS, BRIDGES OF LITERATURE, journalist, poet, essayist, publisher, literary critic, editor, translator, promoter

The post Farewell – Poetry from Kosovo first appeared on Sindh Courier.