Istanbul Literary Review - September 2011 Edition (#21)
Istanbul Literary Review - September 2011 Edition (#21)
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Miss Word and Mr. Thought
by
Jeton Kelmendi
Translated
by
Fredi Proko

1.

I've spoken rather
Differently
Too triumphantly
Miss
I hope
You take no offence
They are after all
Merely a poet's words
And you know that it's permissable
To strip the dressed thoughts
Stark naked
And the bare ones
To dress with suits I fancy
Or
Has it been just as well for you
That I simply tell you I love you
The words everybody tells
To anybody
As a husband to his own wife,
Miss
I beg to differ

2.

Well
Thought is no good without the word
Or the word
Means nothing if mind is not engaged
You are such a dear,
You are Miss word
And I Mr. thought
This is how I've always seen it
Myself with you and yourself with me
Even
This love formula
Anywhere
If at all it survived
Modernity

So Miss word, you are attractive
When Mr. thought
Lends you his charm

3.

Come on
Let's make up 'cause
Silence
Is anxiously watching
What's gonna happen with us

Anyway
Miss word
I feel like giving you a kiss
Only one
As I'm not sure how
A second or third may come
Let freedom live unfettered

Let the word
The mind
Speak whatever
They want

I now want
The first kiss

Paris, July 2006

Istanbul Literary Review - September 2011 Edition (#21)
Jeton Kelmendi
Jeton Kelmendi
Kosova
The Albanian poet Jeton Kelmendi was born in Peja in 1978. He is a renowned as a journalist covering political and cultural issues. Kelmendi’s poetry is translated in several languages and is included in a number of anthologies. He is a war veteran of UCK (Kosovar Liberation Army). Kelmendi is currently settled in Brussels.
Istanbul Literary Review - September 2011 Edition (#21)