The Island

By Luljeta Lleshanaku

Translated from Albanian by Shpresa Qatipi & Henry Israeli

January 2, 2004

Published in The Balkans

Albania

You and I
living on an island
far from cities with traffic lights and people.

Outside we hear the rustlings
of a bed of reeds
where the wind with its toothless mouth blows
luring in tides.

A boat is moored on the shore
a forlorn boat
rotting in the rain.

It seems
we’ll never be able to use it
to sail home.

You and I
living on an island
far from cities with traffic lights and people.

Outside we hear the rustlings
of a bed of reeds
where the wind with its toothless mouth blows
luring in tides.

A boat is moored on the shore
a forlorn boat
rotting in the rain.

It seems
we’ll never be able to use it
to sail home.

Luljeta Lleshanaku is the author of eight poetry collections published in Albania.

Shpresa Qatipi is a professor of English at Tirana University.

Henry Israeli is the author of three collections of poetry and a translator of the Albanian poet Luljeta Lleshanaku.