Popular Albanian poet । Poetry By Nikollë Loka

Nikollë Loka

Down the Balcony

The evening shades fall aslant
towards the stairs.
Down the balcony lie the bushes,
lie the woods,
lie the short abysses…
Down the balcony lie the quinces,
lie the apples,
lie the muses,
lie the sources,
lie the waves of Jon.
Shade after shade,
until the last hill,
are fears,
are winters,
are rains,
doubts,
equations...
Down the balcony are the muses,
are the lemons,
are the hands,
passing desire,
flights of fading waves…

The Wind Moved Your Image

The wind moved your image.
I saw it, even though I was far away,
the sun’s rays fell,
 bringing purple like a gift.
Feelings turned into beams of sunlight,
the rays relaxed across your face.
It felt like a sunset that afternoon,
a sunset that lit up every wish.
From so many sunsets, we have withered,
and so often, we have prayed to the moon.
And your faded face from that day
returned, once more, between us.
Time itself turned into rays,
it made my day transparent.
It felt like a morning that afternoon,
the innocent wind passing by.

I have met a man who used to smile only

I have met a man who used to smile only
before he repented caught in guilt.
I have met a man who used to be happy simply
in vain without ever explaining himself
why the world bursts out in tears.
I have asked him how do you know the world
which seems upside down!
And after every question
I have received tens of answers
that convinced me not!
So I have waited that one day
he would ask himself
simply in vain a question,
but I was afraid he would not reply
so I have run and in the silence
I have seen the world undressed,
naked!

Nikollë Loka was born in Mirdita on March 25, 1960; graduated as a teacher at "Luigj Gurakuqi" University of Shkodra; master's degree in pedagogy at the University of Tirana, doctorate in history of education at the University of Tirana. Author of ten poetic volumes in Albanian and three poetic volumes in Italian (two of which with co-authors); included in the anthology "La Poesie contemporaine albanaise", "L'Hartmattan" publications, Paris 2024. In addition to Albanian, his poems have been published in Italian, English, French, German, Arabic, Romanian, Swedish and Mecedonian.  Winner of several literary awards in the country and abroad. Included in the Lexicon of Albanian writers 1501-2001, editions "Faik Konica", Pristina 2003; in the poetic anthology, 33 years of Albanian poetry (1991-2023), editions “Fiorentia”, Shkodër 2023; in the Encyclopedia of Italian language poets, "Aletti Editore" Rome 2021.