FAZIL HÜSNÜ DAGLARCA Seçme Siirler * Selected Poems

Translated by Talat Sait Halman

Dayak Ýster misin ellerimizi birleþtirelim, Sen iki vur, ben iki daha, Çalmýs mý, Emmiþ mi alýn terini ulusunun, Sen dört vur, ben dört daha. Gemi seçmeye mi gitmiþ 20 kiþi, çay bulmaya mý yollanmýþ 30 kiþi, Dýþbakan olmuþ da yüzde mi almýþ. - Saçý bitmedik çocuklarým aç iken kerpiç köylerde, Bebek kýzlarým gecelerce aklýðýný satarken- Sen yedi vur, ben yedi daha. Ha, ister misin ellerimizi birleþtirelim, Deðeri 8 iken, 208'e mi vermiþ bir tabak fasulyayý, Dilekçeni görür görmez deve boynunu sallamýþ, 500 mü koparmýþ senden, Saylav seçilmiþ de geleceðine yatýrým mý yapmýþ, devrimi çiðneyerek, Sen dokuz vur, ben dokuz daha.

Beating How about it, let's join our hands. You hit twice, and I'll belt two. Has he stolen Or sucked the nation's blood and sweat? You belt four, and I'll strike four more. 20 sent abroad to buy ships, 30 to select tea ... Did the Foreign Minister get a cut, While our hairless children starve in mudbaked villages, And our baby dolls sell their pure flesh night after night? You hit seven times, and I'll belt seven more. How about it eh, let's join hands. Has he sold a plate of beans, 8 cents worth for two dollar eight, Or did he shake his camel's head at your petition to squeeze 500 out of you? Elected to Congress did he invest in his own future, trample on progress? You belt nine, and I'll belt nine more.