The commandments of poetry

Kole Ashta (1920-1998)

Don't forget that poetry is the opposite of the heroism of life. The Albanian is born with this heroism. He lives headlong at the risk of war and suffering. He understands life as a continuous effort. Who doesn't try, who doesn't work will fail, why the undisturbed, calm, thoughtless, idle life makes the mind old, rots the heart, stifles the feelings.

Keep in mind that poetry speaks to youthful feelings, lofty ambitions, youthful spirits. It evokes excitement against worldly life, creative impulse against lustful lust. Poetry reveals the high value of the soul, which despises worldly things, the strengthening of infinite virtues, which destroys worldly lusts. Poetry evokes the exaltation of virtues against the destructive and miserable life. He recalled that poetry strives for the revival of the Albanian heart, national consciousness, and patriotic feeling. You need the revival of conscience, who loves the good, who trusts the one who loves him, who helps him, who teaches him, who fights for the Illyrian docks.

Pay close attention to the fact that poetry does not sing first, that it burns your hand, tears your eyes, destroys your mind, poisons your life. Raise your spirits, because the sight is not taken in the grave. The soul lives on after death, the first is extinguished. The man given to him after this is not capable of heroism in life, so he will stop. Anyone who stops seems like a shadow among others, like a living corpse with sunken eyes, like the leaves of a tree brought by the wind.

Don't despise poetry, because it contradicts the boyish hearts where noble blood moves, a young Illyrian jerk, of the pure, righteous, fateful Albanians, who represent the racial qualities of the Albanian man. She sings innocently, which makes spring in hearts.

To know that poetry recreates the heart, destroys the fearful doubt, drowns the painful lies. Poetry declares war on the heartless, the exploitative, the wicked.

To know that the commandments of poetry refresh the depths of the soul with soothing water, reduce tension, moisten the senses. But you should know that the bad, who talk back, people who do not have faith, who do not know what the soul is, do not understand poetry; but you should also know that it speaks to lofty hearts, boyish souls, noble, worthy, pure, simple feelings. Keep in mind that poetry evokes the rush of virtues and tames the overwhelming vices, the deadly lusts, the blinding vices.

"Youth Front", Tirana, December 5, 1942