Irsa Ruçi is an Albanian Writer, Speechwriter and Lecturer. She was born in Tirana (Albania), in 1990. Her books of poetry include Trokas mbi ajër (poems and essays), 2008 and Pështjellim (poetry), 2010. She has been published in anthologies: Antologji, 2007; I kërkoj agimit vesën, 2008; Antologji poetike “Kushtuar dashurisë”, 2014; Antologji poetike “Udha”, 2014; Antologji poetike, 2014; “Malli dhe brenga nga distancat”, 2014; Antologji poetike “Qyteti”, 2014; Poeteca, 2015; and her works has appeared in a number of print and online national and international magazines, including Sling Magazine, Issue 5; Ann Arbor Review, Issue 15; Poeteca Magazine, Issue 35; Aquillrelle Anthology, 2015; Aquillrelle Anthology, 2016; Metaphor Magazine Issue 5; The Commonline Journal, Issue 4/22; A New Ulster poetry Anthology, april 2016; Best Poems Encyclopedia; Issuu April 2016; In Between Hangovers, May 2016; BLUEPEPPER, May 2016; Duane’s PoeTree, May 2016; CREATIVE TALENTS UNLEASHED, 8 May 2016 etc. And Among many awards, she has received the first prize in poetry, in competition “Anthology 2007”, as the best poet in Albania.
_______________
Illusion
From the hole of the wall that rats had hollowed out
Spying the lamentation ritual
Of the partridge
When the wind carries away their melody
And the cold crushed in my face.
I saw the partridge
While leaving
It cut a branch from the cherry
Petals fall on the land
Which was left drained
From the absence;
Friends put on their dowry their tears
To collect like the beads toward the neck.
Left without turning the head back
Without peering the foxy sight
Left in longing;
Only the time weighs the hearts
Hanging the wires
Like clothes,
Patching the holdback
In that ritual of forgiveness
That reminds the getaway of partridges
In lamentation…
The hole of the wall hollowed out by rats
Was filled with birds pup!
(Translated by Silva Daci)
To read more from Irsa pick up a copy of the current issue here