IRMA KURTI

 

 

Under The Dark Sky 

 

I was looking up at the dark sky,

for so long I gazed at the stars,

as eyes in love they caressed me,

a lot of prayers burned inside of me.

 

Suddenly in my thoughts found space

for the many sufferings of this world,

of those who wake up with arms

or those who die under hunger’s claw.

 

My body became soundless and light,

the sorrows diminished in a flash,

there’re so many pains that mine

are insignificant in the universe.

 

And hence, my prayers expanded

under that dark and starry sky.

 

Quietness

 

The quietness invades my body,

strangely, I hear no sound.

No shouts coming from the present,

 not one memory in my mind.

 

 

Not a cloud hangs on the horizon;

the sun is turned off;

no one can rescue me

from this darkness where I’m lost.

 

 

I can’t find the strength even to ask

 if these days I’m living at all;

does anyone see and touch me?

can anybody hear my call?

 

 

No one sends a single message.

My phone seems to be dead.

I can’t tell if it’s day or night.

I don’t know when I am awake.

 

IRMA KURTI

 

IRMA KURTI is an Albanian poet, writer, lyricist, journalist, and translator and has been writing since she was a child. She is a naturalized Italian and lives in Bergamo, Italy. All her books are dedicated to the memory of her beloved parents, Hasan Kurti and Sherife Mezini, who have supported and encouraged every step of her literary path. Kurti has won numerous literary prizes and awards in Albania, Italy, Switzerland, USA, Philippines, Lebanon and China. She was awarded the Universum Donna International Prize IX Edition 2013 for Literature and received a lifetime nomination as an Ambassador of Peace by the University of Peace, Italian Switzerland. In 2020, she became the honorary president of WikiPoesia, the encyclopedia of poetry. In 2021, she was awarded the title of Liria (Freedom) by the Italian-Albanian community in Italy. She received the Leonardo da Vinci and Giacomo Leopardi prizes from the Chimera Arte Contemporanea Cultural Association of Lecce.The same association also honored her with the European Ambassador Award and named her the Best Poet of the Year in 2022. She received the Grazia Deledda medal and diploma of merit from the National Committee of WikiPoesia on the 150th anniversary of the birth of the great Italian poet. In 2023 she was awarded a Career Award from the Universum Academy Switzerland. She also won the prestigious 2023 Naji Naaman's literary prize for complete work. Irma Kurti is a member of the jury for several literary competitions in Italy. She is also a translator for the Ithaca Foundation in Spain. Irma Kurti has published more than 100 works, including books of poetry, fiction and translations.  She is one of the most translated and published Albanian poets. Her books have been translated and published in 20 countries.