a single book during his lifetime, his works, which circulated privately and in the press of the period, were an immediate success. Migjeni paved the way for modern literature in Albania." This literature was, however, soon to be nipped in the bud. The very year of the publication of Free Verse saw the victory of Stalinism in Albania and the proclamation of the People's Republic. Many have speculated as to what contribution Migjeni might have made to Albanian letters had he managed to live longer. The question remains highly hypothetical, for this individualist voice of genuine social protest would no doubt have suffered the same fate as most Albanian writers of talent in the late 1940s, i.e. internment, imprisonment or execution. His early demise has at least preserved the writer for us undefiled. The fact that Migjeni did perish so young makes it difficult to provide a critical assessment of his work. Though generally admired, Migjeni is not without critics. Some have been disappointed by his prose, nor is the range of his verse sufficient to allow us to acclaim him as a universal poet. See also List of Albanian writers Albanian literature Sources References External links , explicit permission for use under GNU FDL. Migjeni (Millosh Gjergj Nikolla). Free Verse, Dukagjini, Peja 2001, A bilingual edition 1911 births 1938 deaths Albanian-language poets Albanian-language writers Albanian poets Albanian male poets Albanian writers Albanian male writers 20th-century Albanian poets 20th-century Albanian writers People from Shkodër People from Scutari vilayet People from Shkodër County Former Albanian Orthodox Christians Albanian atheists 20th-century deaths from tuberculosis Tuberculosis deaths in Italy 20th-century male writers