Dit’ e nat’ has often hosted writer’s groups, and from time to time people would share with us their work. We have been pleasantly surprised to receive a poem by Leslie Saunders who had been to Kosovo and served for Save the Children till 2011 – during this time she was also writing. “The Cat at Dit’ e Nat'” was inspired by us and our town. Enjoy!
The Cat at Dit’ e Nat’
for the friends I left behind
Today I’ll drink a tiny hot espresso,
leave my lipstick on the doll-size china,
I’ll buy The Little Prince, his Sahara
an volcanos, me muzika dhe lulja
at Lulishte I’ll choose four pale rose
for Flora because it’s December,
and make a good luck wish or two
for the next Prime Minister Mimoza,
I’ll learn new sounds like vetëvendosje,
ahtisaari, më vjen keq and mirëdita
I’ll leave the melancholy Garbo on her shelf,
skim the pop-up book of new Prishtina,
I’ll cry so no-one hears me,
I’ll sing along the barmen’s sha-la-la,
I’ll stroke the ginger cat at Dit’ e Nat’
because it’s December me muzika, me lulja
LESLIE SAUNDERS
Dit’ e Nat’: ‘Day and Night’, a bookshop/cafe/bar in Prishtina
lulja: flower
muzika: music
Lulishte: name of a florist shop in Prishtina
Mimoza: Mimoza Kusari-Lila, AKR candidate in the Kosovan general election 2010
Vetëvendosje: ‘self-determination’, a Kosovan political party which opposes the UN presence there and campaigns for the complete independence of Kosovo/a
Ahtisaari: the Ahtisaari plan, named after UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari, was the 2007 draft settlement designed to resolve Kosovo/a’s status, establish justice and governance systems and processes, and protect non-Albanian minorities
më vjen keq: I’m sorry
mirëdita: good afternoon
