The Word That Crossed Silence

Written by Jeton Kelmendi

Translated from Albanian by the poet

Narrated by Bill Wolak

Kosovo

Yesterday I was accustomed

To speak only a little

I was filled with the breathing of sadness

In the most remote areas

Of your eyes

Since long ago I began to arrive

From you

To speak silently to you

To confess in you

For you

And for me

 

Yesterday I thought

To say to you

That you are

The bread of poetry

The water of the word

Me for you

The most sung song

Of all ages

 

Yesterday I wanted to be quiet

To talk only a little

To become a shadow

Obscuring sunlight

I wanted

To trespass on

All the maliciousness

Of humanity

 

Yesterday I saw

How I can be discovered again

From you

How I can

Be found again

From you

Early or later

Yesterday

I struggled

To become happy most of the time.

 

Jeton Kelmendi was born in Peja, Kosovo, and currently resides and works in Brussels, Belgium, and in Pristina, Kosovo. He is the most translated Albanian poet and is well known throughout Europe. His poems are translated in more that thirty-seven languages.