FAZIL HÜSNÜ DAGLARCA Seçme Siirler * Selected Poems

Translated by Talat Sait Halman

Dönüs Askerler dönüyor ihtiyar askerler, Sulhun mavi daglarindan. Kalbimize nekadar asina Adimlarinda kalan. Türküler dönüyor nurdan türküler Kagni arabalarindan söylenmisti. Karsi bahçeler ki ayna midir Nasibi devreder simdi. Kuslar dönüyor sadik kuslar, Bahar için degil, saçaklarimiz için. Dönen mesafesiyle var oluruz Mevsimler arkasi güzelligin. Gemiler dönüyor garip ve zengin. Garip ve sonsuz sular üzerinde. Gemilerle beraber gelen sey Aydinliklar gibi yüzer, derinde. ve bunlar degil de ey gecem, Sen dönüyorsun ellerime, sen. Aska ve hayata dönüyorum Topragin bütün ölülerinden

Return Soldiers are returning, aged soldiers From the blue hills of peace. How intimate within our hearts What their steps would not release... Songs are returning, songs of light Sung on hulky ox carts. Are the gardens across a mirror Some new destiny that starts? Birds are returning, loyal birds, For our eaves, not for the sake of spring. We come alive in the whirling distance And the beauty that the seasons bring. Ships are returning, strange and opulent, Sailing the strange and endless seas. In the depths, like beams of light, The cargo of the ships tarries. Unlike any of these, my night, You, you are returning into my hands. I am returning to love and life From the dead of all the lands.