FAZIL HÜSNÜ DAGLARCA
Seçme Siirler * Selected Poems 		< i >
Translated by Talat Sait Halman 

Zaman Pariltisi

     Karanliklarda, gündüzlerin arkasindayim,
     Bitmis ikinci dünya savasi, ugursuz ve kahraman,
     Uzakta esir uluslar türkü söyler,
     Türklügümün farkindayim.

     Bir soluk gelmekte karsi gezegenlerden,
     Vakt içinden inmektedir gölgeler.
     Toprak üzerinde, atmosferler üzerinde
     Soguyan gecemin farkindayim.

     Biçimler, evlere, esyalara rahatça sigmis,
     Var olmus var olmayan.
     Biçimler sonsuzluga yaklasmis,
     Aklimin farkindayim.

     Ne agaçlar uzanmis mevsimlerimce
     Ne yildizlar gerçek, aydinligim kadar.
     Askla kimildayan küçücük isiklar uçusür içimde yön yön,
     Yasadigimin farkindayim.



Gleam in Time

     I am in the dark, beyond all light:
     End of World War Two, ominous and heroic.
     Far away slave nations chant a song.
     I am aware of being a Turk.

     A breath descends from the worlds across,
     And shadows pour from time.
     Upon the earth and over the atmosphere
     I am aware of my chilly night.

     Forms cuddle the houses and furniture.
     What never was now comes into being,
     And shapes border on eternity.
     I am aware of my mind.

     Not a tree grows with my seasons,
     Nor are the stars as real as my own light.
     Atoms astir by love fly in my heart every which way.
     I am aware of life.

"Zaman Pariltisi" is from SELECTED POEMS OF FAZIL HÜSNÜ DAGLARCA, translated by Talat Sait Halman, © 1969 by University of Pittsburgh Press.
Reprinted by permission of the University of Pittsburgh Press.
All rights reserved.