Sami Gjoka

If I Go to Hell: Nëse Shkoj Në Ferr Sami Gjoka

Sami Gjoka is an Albanian American Poet. He lives and works in Arlington Virginia. "If I Go To Hell" Comes after Gjoka's Masterpiece: "Shadows Speak In Riddles", Kirkus Books Review about Shadows Speak In Riddles: "... 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; 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? ?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..."