Front Matter

On the Road of Time

A Novel

By Petre Nakovski (Translated from Macedonian to English and edited by Risto Stefov) On the Road of Time (Following the traces of memories) A Novel

“Η µνηµη οπου την αγγιζεις ποναει” Γ. Σεφερης (“The memory wherever you touch it hurts” G. Seferis)

Any similarity is by chance

Our journey through Albania was realized with financial support from the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Macedonia, for which the author expresses his special gratitude.

On the Road of Time – Forward

Who will testify to the times in which we have been immersed and imprinted with countless targets and bound with bloody strands?

Who will write that we live a deeply rooted life on our great grandfather’s and grandfather’s land to which we are very much faithful?

They wrong us by their testimonies and colourless they wrote, spreading a dark cloud over us, a divide they dug between us, and with lies and false promises they embraced us, and at all times, a bloody cover they laid under us.

Who will testify and record that for us freedom has always had the colour red?

Who will testify if not we, about our pain and suffering, crying and lamenting, prayers and tears, waiting without end, about the fire, the shout and cry, the horrible defeat, about our uprooting and exile that lead us so far away from home;

And hopefully the prophesy will come true that after years and the passing of time everything will be ours again?

For this great hope and for everything, and for everyone who was lost to time, may the glimmer of candlelight shine, may animated and living ambers for eternity glow, may God will, that in all of us shine the enlightenment we possess today so that we will be smarter and wiser tomorrow.

Amen!