FAZIL HÜSNÜ DAGLARCA Seçme Siirler * Selected Poems

Translated by Talat Sait Halman

Bir Memet Daha Topraktan mý çýktý yarý toprak bir yaratýk, Gökten mi indi yarý gök bir kartal. Bir Memet daha var oldu o sýra, Tepenin doruðunda kalpaðý al. Bir Memet olduðu besbelli, Saçlarý baþakta, gözleri çiçekte. Elleri ayaklarý öylesin kocaman, Yüzü altý Memet'in yüzüne öylesin benzemekte. Vardý üç adýmda masalcana, Aðzý duman tüten makineliye, dev. Kabzeyi kavrar kavramaz bastý tetiðe Fýþkýrdý namludan sonsuz bir alev. Allah Allah, þaþtý bütün daðlar, bütün gök, Þaþtý dost düþman. Bu kimdir, bu kaçýncý Memet'tir, Ölülerde dirilerde dondu kan. Görsen efsane, görmesen efsane, Duysan efsane. Uzak mýdýr bayraktan düþen, Yakýn midýr ne? Bir parýltý bir parýltý tarihten, Tanrýca dik. Yurdun ulusun kutsal gücü, Bu yedinci Memet, Memetcik.

One More Unknown Hero Did a half-earth creature jut out of the ground? Did a half-sky eagle swoop down at a snap? One more unknown hero came to life On the hill's crest, with a crimson cap. Clearly another unknown soldier, His hair in spikes, his eyes in the flower's throes ... His hands and feet were enormous. His face was the face of six other fallen heroes. A giant, a living legend, he took three steps And seized the machine-gun with its smouldering spout. Grasping the butt, he pulled the trigger, And an endless flame gushed out. God Almighty, mountains and skies stood in awe, Our friends and foes. Who is this, which doomed hero? The blood of the dead and the living froze. He is a legend if you see him or not, A legend, you hear. Is what falls off the flag Far or near? Upright like God, Out of history, a deathless glow ... The sacred might of the land and the nation, The seventh Memet, the seventh unknown hero.