Modern Odyssey

A Poem by Ndue Ukaj

Poetry

By Ndue Ukaj

Through dreams makes love with Penelope,

The road to Ithaca is longer than its distance

Between the dream and reality...where the tired vision
Explodes in search of Ithaca

And returned to the word in the traditional nest.

At the swamp full of memories

Where their roses are falling apart.

And take the color of Autumn. Tragically.

Is stepped over them, just as in lost grounds.

Without a brake opens its minimized eyes

Its tired eyes, faded from the endless search.

In trouble he is descending the stairs of memory

And opens the pages of nostalgia. Full of passion.

In the roads of the world is crises-crossed his confused search.

While with nostalgia is searching a small place to take a break

Nervous from the tempted cruiser of life

In the waives of memory dissolved just as the Sun dew.

Odyssey died in antiquity.

In the lap of Penelope is relaxing

With the mountain of memories that are fading,

Every time that Troy is burned.

And Penelope in the window is drawing the reception.

Welcome as large as longevity

And the letters of this poetry

Extending their voice up in the sky.

(Translated from Albanian to English by Peter Tase)

© 2012 Ndue Ukaj

Author's Note

Ndue Ukaj (1977) is Albanian and Swedish writer, publicist and literary critic. He was member of several editorials literary. He has also been editor of the magazine for art, culture and society "Identity" that was published in Pristina. Ukaj is included in several anthologies of poetry, in Albanian, and other languages. He has published five books, including “Godo is not coming”, which won the national award for best book of poetry published in 2010 in Kosovo. He has also won the award for best poems in the International Poetry Festival in Macedonia. His poems and texts are translated into English, Spanish, Italian, Romanian, Finish and Swedish.