FAZIL HÜSNÜ DAGLARCA Seçme Siirler * Selected Poems

Translated by Talat Sait Halman

Âsû Suçu büyüktü Âsû'nun göklerecek Tas atmisti günese dogru Bilinmeyen türküsünde Bilinmeyen çagindan Açti uykusuzdu sayriydi Dolmustu seytanlarin solugu derisine Kötü bir isik Ve mavilikte durusu çarpik agaçlarin Sövmüs Tanrisina sövmüs Âsû Âsû Yakilacak yakilacak Âsû Âsû Doymuslar bir ilk zaman içinde Ki sürer sicakligi karin karin Kartalla doymuslar yilanla doymuslar Doymuslar yellerle yildizla yalazla Var olmanin yegnikligi alna çizilmis Kötü ruhlar uyusun türlü boyalar içre Ve ta masallara uzanir Dudaklarin kizil süsleri Agaç, davullarin seslerinden Âsû Âsû Yesiller allar sarilar Âsû Âsû Halay çeker korku Uzak kusaklarin açisina karisik Yontulmus taslarda susar Güçsüz yumusakligi etin Büyünün kara kanini üfler boynuzlara Toprakta kök Açik bir esrikliktir apaçik bir uykudan Ve avin kurtulusu iste Kisinin gücü Tanrinin büyüklügüne Âsû Âsû Yankilanir dagdan daga insandan insana Âsû Âsû Devrilmis gözleri ak Patlamis ürküden gögsü Bütün oba ates bütün oba ölüm Bütün oba çirilçiplak Açligi uykusuzlugu sayriligi tükenmez ama Düser elleri Yasamasi parlamaz ama Âsû'nun Ölüsü parlar Aydinlik yitiverir yeryüzü yalnizligindan Âsû Âsû Seni senin karanligin sever ancak Âsû Âsû

Asu The guilt of Asu loomed huge as the sky. Asu had hurled a rock at the sun With his unknown song Out of the unknown age. He was hungry, sleepless and sick. Under his skin the breath of devils lurked Like wicked lights And writhing trees standing in blue. He profaned his god -- Asu, Asu. Burn on the pyre, burn, Asu, Asu. So surfeited were they in a primordial age That warmth endured from belly to belly. They were eagle-stuffed and serpent-stuffed, Wind-stuffed, star-stuffed, flame-stuffed. The levity of life is indelible destiny. May the demons slumber hue by hue, And scarlet ornaments on lips Sprawl toward parables. From the beat of the wooden drums -- Asu, Asu. Green and red and yellow -- Asu, Asu. The dance of terror Mingles with the agony of bygone races, And the impotent softness of the flesh Keeps still on chiselled stones. The root in the ground Blows into horns sorcery's black blood, A naked trace out of the barest sleep, The escape of the prey. Man's might to God's grandeur -- Asu, Asu. Echoes from hill to hill, from man to man -- Asu, Asu. Their eyes roll all white. Breasts burst with fright. The whole clan is fire, the whole clan is death, The whole clan is starknaked. Endlessly hungry, sleepless and sick, His hands drop. Asu's life has never glittered But his corpse does. All light is lost for the earth's solitude -- Asu, Asu. Your own darkness loves you alone, Asu, Asu.