You cried

You cried and told me in a lowered voice,

that I was treating you like a whore.

Back then I didn’t care much for your tears.

I loved you, without knowing I loved you.

But, one sudden morning I woke up alone,

to see a deserted world in front of me.

Only then did I realize what I had lost,

And what I had gained, I realized too.

Like an emerald sorrow shone,

and happiness darkened like a cloudy dusk.

since neither was prettier than the other one,

I didn’t know which of them to trust,

This jewelry collection was such,

that light and murk could shine at once.

A hundred times it boosted thirst for life,

and enticed death, a hundred times.

Ismail Kadare

*Copyleft - I have translated this poem from Albanian. Feel free to share or modify it as you like :)