ONE WORD
Often, one word is more than enoughto warm your body as if by magic,
making anxiety, that rigid piece of ice,
melt and flow away like a stream.
A word, then the waves of sadness
in one minute change into bubbles.
Your shy smile is a ray of sunshine
that soon breaks through the clouds.
One word is enough . . . but strangely,
even that the people don’t want to say.
A POEM ON THE WALLS
I would like to write a poem on thedamp and ancient walls of my city,
people always run, time challenges
their steps with such great speed.
I’d like to write some verses, to be
enjoyed while smoking a cigarette,
to be read while sipping coffee,
a line in one’s mind will remain.
A short poem whose every verse
highlights the joy, light, and love,
awakening the people and the cold
city walls from their long slumber.
THE SAME COIN
and cried for months and years,
you sprayed my days with poison,
I could never live my own bliss.
I understood too late: my life
no, didn’t interest you at all,
my afflictions went in your ear
I’ll use with you the same coin.
You have leaned on my shoulder
and out the other, of course.
You forgot the time I dedicated,
around you this world revolved.
If all I did wasn’t worth it,
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. She graduated from the English Department of the University of Tirana in 1988, and has since worked as a teacher of English and journalist for various newspapers, such as "Mësuesi" (The teacher), "Dita informacion" (The Day Information) etc. She also took numerous courses for specialization in journalism in various countries across Europe and North America.
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 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 30 books in Albanian, 26 in Italian, 16 in English, and two in French. She has also translated 21 books by different authors, and all of her own books into Italian and English.
Irma Kurti is one of the most translated and published Albanian poets. Her books have been translated and published in 17 countries.
