Ndriçim Ademaj is an Albanian- speaking poet and writer from Kosovo. He graduated in Modern Literature from the Sorbonne University in Paris and received his Master’s degree in Modern Literature from the University Lumière – Lyon 2 in Lyon. Ndriçim Ademaj’s work has
been featured in various anthologies and literary magazines in Albanian and other foreign languages. It has been translated in several languages, including English, French, German,
Turkish and Macedonian.
INFUSION
the evening’s eyes are dripping
as these drops drop inside the infusion bottle
that tightens your wrinkled arm
tonight I saw the most beloved eyes in the world
as they are sleeping wearily in the bed of this dark hospital
I saw you tired and numbed for the first time
I saw your pain
hanging as a pale neon
over the silence of the night
we have been here several other times
the first time it was when I was born,
you held my name in your wrist,
you were tender then
as an excellent pupil on the first day of school,
you never thought that one day you’d melt down in life
as this boring infusion
that our lives were nothing but two faded autumn leaves
sirens come and bring other women
other young men killed drunken
in the unwashed streets of Prizren
cars pushing each other
toward the neighbouring hospital graves
you are only sleeping,
you are breathing
I remember when I used to play with your long hair
and you would tell me short stories
about those who are gone and those who’d come
about father’s boredom
and brother’s childhood
but about us we never talked
who cares, tonight you’ll listen to me long enough
tonight, you won’t say anything
about the nights when I would come back home drunk
about time wasted
about women I have loved,
and who never loved me
more than you ever did
for a long time I’ve been willing to find a song for you
but I never had enough time
I was drinking for the one
who left with the very first airplane for the Distant City
where all the sewage from this world’s betrayals is being discharged
for a long time I’ve been willing to love you like this,
only with my eyes
it doesn’t matter,
what matters now is for you to wake up
see, the light is coming out with some confused raindrops
see, I am here as well,
watching the most beloved eyes in the world
see, you are awakening from a horrible dream
which is leaving like an uncalled taxi
with the last drops of this infusion
don’t give up,
we have all the time in the world to die…
Translated by Fadil Bajraj
