Luljeta Lleshanaku
THE MYSTERY OF PRAYERS
In my family
prayers were said secretly,
softly, murmured through sore noses
beneath blankets,
a sigh before and a sigh after
thin and sterile as a bandage.
Outside the house
there was only a ladder to climb
a wooden one, leaning against a wall all year long,
ready to use to repair the tiles, in August before the rains.
No angels climbed up
and no angels climbed down—
only men suffering from sciatica.
They prayed to catch a glimpse of Him
hoping to renegotiate their contracts
or to postpone their deadlines.
“Lord, give me strength,” they said
for they were descendants of Esau
and had to make do with the only blessing
left over from Jacob,
the blessing of the sword.
In my house praying was considered a weakness
like making love.
And like making love
it was followed by the long
cold night of the body.
From: Child of nature
Publisher: New Direction Books, United States, 2010
MYSTERIE VAN HET GEBED
In mijn gezin
baden ze in het geheim,
met de neus weggestopt onder de dekens, zachtjes,
bijna mompelend,
met aan het begin en einde een zucht,
fijn en steriel als verbandgaas.
Bij het huis
was alleen een ladder om op te klimmen,
hij was van hout en stond het hele jaar tegen de muur, zodat we
in augustus, voor de regen kwam, het pannendak konden repareren.
In plaats van engelen
klommen er mannen op en af
die last hadden van ischias.
Ze baden en keken Hem aan,
als waren ze in herenberaad,
en verzochten ze om uitstel.
‘God, geef mij kracht!’ en meer niet,
want ze waren Esau’s nazaten,
gezegend met het enige wat hun van Jakob overbleef
– het zwaard.
Bij mij thuis
was bidden een ondeugd
waar nooit over gesproken werd,
net als het bedrijven van de liefde.
En net
als na de liefde
volgde er voor het lichaam een lange, angstige nacht.
MISTERI I LUTJEVE
Në familjen time
lutjet bëheshin fshehtas,
me një hundë të skuqur nën jorgan, me zë të ulët,
gati mërmëritje,
me një psherëtimë në fillim dhe në fund,
të hollë e të pastër si një garzë.
Përreth shtëpisë
kishte vetëm një palë shkallë për t’u ngjitur,
ato të drunjtat, të mbështetura gjithë vitin pas murit,
për riparimin e tjegullave në gusht para shirave.
Në vend të engjëjve
hipnin e zbritnin burra
që vuanin nga shiatiku.
Ata luteshin duke u shikuar sy më sy me Të,
si në një marrëveshje kryezotash,
duke kërkuar një shtyrje afati.
“Zot, më jep forcë!” e asgjë më shumë,
se ishin pasardhësit e Esaut,
të bekuar me të vetmen gjë që mbeti prej Jakobit
– shpatën.
Në shtëpinë time
lutja ishte një dobësi
që nuk përflitej kurrë,
si të bërit dashuri.
Dhe njësoj
si të bërit dashuri
pasohej nga nata e frikshme e trupit.
From: Child of nature
Publisher: New Direction Books, United States
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THE MYSTERY OF PRAYERS
In my family
prayers were said secretly,
softly, murmured through sore noses
beneath blankets,
a sigh before and a sigh after
thin and sterile as a bandage.
Outside the house
there was only a ladder to climb
a wooden one, leaning against a wall all year long,
ready to use to repair the tiles, in August before the rains.
No angels climbed up
and no angels climbed down—
only men suffering from sciatica.
They prayed to catch a glimpse of Him
hoping to renegotiate their contracts
or to postpone their deadlines.
“Lord, give me strength,” they said
for they were descendants of Esau
and had to make do with the only blessing
left over from Jacob,
the blessing of the sword.
In my house praying was considered a weakness
like making love.
And like making love
it was followed by the long
cold night of the body.
From: Child of nature
Publisher: 2010, New Direction Books, United States
THE MYSTERY OF PRAYERS
In my family
prayers were said secretly,
softly, murmured through sore noses
beneath blankets,
a sigh before and a sigh after
thin and sterile as a bandage.
Outside the house
there was only a ladder to climb
a wooden one, leaning against a wall all year long,
ready to use to repair the tiles, in August before the rains.
No angels climbed up
and no angels climbed down—
only men suffering from sciatica.
They prayed to catch a glimpse of Him
hoping to renegotiate their contracts
or to postpone their deadlines.
“Lord, give me strength,” they said
for they were descendants of Esau
and had to make do with the only blessing
left over from Jacob,
the blessing of the sword.
In my house praying was considered a weakness
like making love.
And like making love
it was followed by the long
cold night of the body.
From: Child of nature
Publisher: 2010, New Direction Books, United States
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