Nikollë Loka’s three poems


Albania Returns


We are born naked 

like the word with so many meanings,

with very intimate appearance,

we dress in white…

In the first sense, life is the arrival,

you have to appreciate,

in the second sense, life is the welcome,

a struggle through tears,

in the third sense, 

life is a collection of moments you return for a while,

to run away very far…

And in the great escapes,

when everything is left behind,

we get a piece of sky overhead

And when the returns

come each day less,

we leave the memories instead.

Another time


You came to tell me

that the word is windy

and doesn't have a form.

A promise is a game,

Because the human and the dog

are the same. 

You came to tell me

that the time oldenst you trickily,

and the wrinkles in your forehead 

are put stealthily,

telling you love words.

It is bringing me words

from an abbys to another one,

that time stays tightly

in your puls.

In the ether

another time is coming.

Your time with another sun,

and another moon.

Down the balcony 


The evening shades fall aslant 

towards the stairs.

Down the balcony lay the bushes,

lay the wood, the long abysses. 

Down the balcony lay the quinces, 

lay the apples,

the muses, 

the wells 

and the waves of Jon. 

Shade after shade until the last hill 

fears lay down,

the shakings the rains, 

the equations 

and the doubts. 

Down the balcony are the winters,

are the ups and the downs. 

Down the balcony are the muses, 

are the lemons, 

the hands 

and the passing desires 

a flight of waves that fade.



Nikollë Loka was born in Sang of Mirdita on March 25, 1960; graduated as a teacher at “Luigj Gurakuqi” University of Shkodra. He worked as a teacher, principal in a high school and education inspector in the district of Mirdita, then a teacher in a high school in Tirana and a lecturer at “Aleksandër Xhuvani” University in Elbasan. Lives in Tirana. Author of ten poetic volumes in Albanian and three poetic volumes in Italian (two of which with co-authors). In addition to Albanian, his poems have been published in Italian, English, French, German, Romanian and Swedish. Invited to television and radio shows dedicated to literature. Editor and reviewer of several literary works, mainly in poetry. Winner of several literary awards in the country and abroad. Member of several national and international literary associations. Included in the Lexicon of Albanian writers 1501-2001, as well as in the Encyclopedia of poets of the Italian language, published by “Aletti Editore”, Rome 2021; in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Mirdita, “Emal” Publications, Tirana 2021.

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