Shadows Speak In Riddles

About the Book

Gjoka’s first book of poems in English offers readers a rare chance to see the small moments of life through another’s eyes.

This latest offering from Gjoka contains poems that cover such topics as birth, death,lovemaking and what it means to be human. While readers may not connect to every poem, most will fi nd something that resonates with them. The author offers a supreme command of language,image and metaphor, and readers will find themselves lost in those poems that touch them deeply. He is versatile in his poetic structure, alternating between moments of breeziness and brutality without sacrificing the beauty of language or the intensity of his images. Though translated from the original Albanian (with the original text appearing on adjacent pages), Gjoka’s poems retain much of their lyrical and rhythmic qualities; “The old stems, / Old and dying / Have burst into new flowers, / Vanished stars that left space / Long ago” (“Love the Scents of Every Flower”). Readers of foreign literature will understand the changes that take place during translation, since poetry contains many idioms and difficult to convey allusions. However, most of these poems seem to retain their power in English, and allow readers to view the world through the lens of a different culture; “Some say there is a snake / We must slay / Filled with venom of religion / Of some other distant lands, / Of some poor, unhappy people / Scattered through some oil fields” (“Here So Close to the Capitol”). Readers may be turned off initially by the fact that these poems are translated, but a taste of what the author offers should help them over their hesitation and allow them to embrace these lines. Poetry buffs will likely find something to treasure in this collection and readers who find themselves drawn to its rhythms and images should welcome this work into their library.

Sometimes gentle, sometimes harsh and often insightful,Gjoka’s poems take readers on a journey, leading them to new insights and helping them see the world through a unique perspective.

About the Author

Sami Gjoka was born on April 30, 1962 in Manëz, Durres, Albania. In August of 1990, he moved to Washington D.C. area in the USA. Gjoka works as a real estate professional, managing his own company, Proplocate Realty. In 1996 Gjoka became a US citizen. He is currently divorced and the father of two boys, Kleit and Arbin Whittman. Previous published books: Murky Sky Poetry 1993 Breeze Poetry 1993 Remorse Comes Late novel 1994 Hello, America Poetry 2003 Western Metaphors Poetry 2004 I Come Smiling To Cry poetry 2005 Albania and the cruelty of the new Socialism Political essays 2007 Shadows Speak In Riddles is his first publication in English.