In the next posts, we will meet you with our semi-finalists. We will show you their semi-final’s poem and interview about them and their impressions about Mili Dueli. Also, you will see what they answer on some interesting situations.

Note: Semi-final duels starts in September, 5. We have two semi-finals where we will show 25 authors in each one. So, this is TOP 50 poets in competition where have been presented 545 authors.

SECOND SEMI-FINAL

Mentor:Nermin Delić

8. SARAH ISUFI

	SEMI-FINAL POEM:	JOŠ NISMO PORASLI Tik tok! Dvanaest je sati. Camus mi otkida nemirni san, dok prazna čaša samoće reflektira sunčevu crvenu svjetlost zaglavljenu u mom prozoru. Ta boja, oh, tako je duboka kao dan! Tik tok! Tu sam za tebe. Sa umom koji je otišao na zapad i duhom koji je prošao kroz… prošao kroz oblake, bijele košulje i krune – pa nazad: da bi uništio taj glupi sat; ali ti stalno računaš svoj tik tok! Čekaš veće iznose za jače riječi, za korake i zvukove ili dražesne maske za sljedeće po programu. Čak i slatka metaforu novog dana uvijek će doći ko noćobdija sporo u osamu. Onda stani; nasmij se i samo prestani! Ponašaš se kao da se nikad nismo sreli, jer si kao ja … još nisi odrastao kako želim! WE’RE NOT GROWN UP YET Tic toc it’s twelve o’clock… Camus rips off my restless sleep, while the empty glass of loneliness reflects the red light of the sun, stuck in my window. That color, oh, so deep! Tic toc I’m here for you, with a mind gone west and a spirit gone through… gone through clouds, white shirts, and crowns: to destroy that stupid clock, but you keep counting your tic toc… You wait for larger amounts, for stronger words, for steps and sounds, or cuter masks for your next show, but even the sweet metaphor of a new day will always come slow… Then you stop, you put a smile and you just stop. You act like we’ve never met, because you’re like me … you’re not grown up yet! NE NUK JEMI RRIT ENDE Tik tok Ora shënon dymbëdhjetë. Kamy ma vjedh gjumin e paqetë, teksa gota e zbraztë e vetmisë përthyen dritën e kuqe të diellit, të ngecun n’dritaren time. Ajo ngjyrë, oh, m’çon në ma të thellat kuptime… Tik tok jam këtu për ty, me nji mendje shkue perëndimit e nji shpirt kalue përmes reve, këmishave të bardha, e kurorave, për me shkatërrue nj’at orë të kotë, ama vazhdon, vazhdon ti numëron tik tok-ët e tu të paplotë. Ti pret për sasi ma të mëdha, për fjalë ma të fuqishme, për hapa e tinguj të ri, a maska ma interesante për shfaqjen tane të rradhës, kushedi… Mandej, ti ndalon. Ti vesh nji buzëqeshje e thjesht ndalon. Sillesh sikur s’jemi pa a taku najherë. Sepse ti je si unë. Ti s’je rrit ende, nuk je rrit as ktë herë!
	GENERAL INFORMATION
	Name and Surname	SARAH ISUFI
	Date and the year of birth	26.01.1994
	Nationality (Write the name of the country whose passport you have in UPPERCASES)	ALBANIA
	Name of the city where you live (Write in uppercases. If you live in the village, write the name of the city that place belongs to, then the name of the village in brackets)	KAVAJË
	BIOGRAPHY
	When did you start writing poetry?	I started writing poetry, when I was 20 years old ( in the third year of my Bachelor studies ).
	Which elementary school were you attending? Were you a good student?	” Mehmet Babamusta “, Kavajë. Yes, I used to be a very good student.
	Which high school have you finished (or which high school are you attending)?	” Aleksandër Moisiu “, Kavajë.
	Do you have a college degree? Enter your academic title, if any. If you go to college, write down what year you are on. If you are not going while planning to enroll, enter which colleges you are interested in! *	I’m graduated in University of Tirana, Faculty of Social Sciences, for Bachelor in Sociology and Master of Science in Sociology of social developments.
	Are you employed? If you are: what is your job and where are you working?	No, I’m not employed yet.
	BIOBIBLIOGRAPHY
	Books you’ve published:
	Your poetry awards:	I don’t have any. This is my first time competing in poetry.
	What does poetry mean to you?	I have a box, with a limitless number of colors. I pick whatever I want ( having no certain scheme or plan ), I use them in the way I want, I mix them, I wipe them away, then … I stare at my painting and I get surprised, amused and fulfilled. This is what poetry means to me.
	Make a list of your five favourite writers:	1. Migjeni ( Millosh Gjergj Nikolla ) 2. William Shakespeare 3. Charles Baudelaire 4. Edgar Allan Poe 5. Marey Shalley
	ABOUT MILI DUELI
	How did you hear about our contest, and decided to apply?	There came a moment, when I just needed to put my writing abilities on another level and all I wanted, was a competition ( not in my native language ). I googled it and Mili Dueli came by my way. I liked it, then I contacted the organizator for further informations.
	What are your experiences with the contest so far? What do you like the most, and what would you change?	I’m enjoying every single round of this contest. I love the fact that different nationalities participate in here. I don’t think I would change something, because I find this contest professional enough, but I would just like to have the opportunity to understand, what Bosnian participants write, too.
	Who’s your mentor? What’s your opinion about her/him?	I’m working with Nermin Delic. He’s a great mentor, open minded, good hearted and very communicative.
	Were you expecting to enter the semi-final stage as one of the TOP 50 among 545 people who applied?	YES
	Are you expecting to enter the final stage?	YES
	Do you expect winning this competition?	YES
	ABOUT YOU
	Tick the three groups that describe you the most:	good sense of humor not afraid to express his/hers opinion dedicated to what they do
	Tick the three groups that describe you the least:	sport spirit always ready for action like to spend a lot of time alone
	Are you a hunter or a gatherer?	I’m a hunter, but even if I sometimes feel like a gatherer, I would show up to the world like a hunter.
	What is your definition of love?	I still have a box, this time with only one color on it. I either choose to take that color and fill my blank book with it, or I choose to live in the dark, into the box, beside that color. It doesn’t matter. It would still be love, anyway…
	If you were a plant- which plant would you be and why?	I would be a Gardenia. They represent innocence, dreams and intuition, but they are difficult to grow and bruise easily, so they require high maintenance.
	Somebody gave you an anteater. What are you doing with the gift?	I gifted my gift to the zoo, because there is missing an animal of that kind.
	Describe the colour yellow to a blind person.	We would have a small journey in an empty and cold place, first. Then I would invite him/her for a walk outside, I would grab his hand and together, we would feel the warm air touching our faces, while the leaves fly and sing for us. This is yellow, my friend, the color of feeling warm and delighted.
	Tell us something we don’t know about you.	I can’t swim.
	Make a list of ten things you can do with a pen (except for writing)	1. I can catch my hair with it. 2. I can use it as a microphone, when my favorite song is on. 3. I can draw a simple tattoo with it. 4. I can throw it to my brother, when I’m mad at him. 5. I can leave it between pages, to remember where I stopped the reading. 6. I can smoke it, just to see how having a cigarette would be like. 7. I can use it as a spline, to make a straight line in my notebook. 8. I can put it between my teeth, when I do my lipstick, just to make sure I don’t put lipstick on my teeth too. 9. I can use it as a straight line, when I do my eyeliner. 10. I can keep it between the foot fingers, when I do the manicure.