FAZIL HÜSNÜ DAGLARCA Seçme Siirler * Selected Poems

Translated by Talat Sait Halman

Öldürdügümüz Geceyle parlayan gözleri vardi, Cesurdu, cesurdu ziyade. Nasil ki çekti bizi, Istifade. Karanlik magaranin kapisinda durduk, Geçerken biraktik tasi. Sustu büyük bagirmasinda, Gecelerin ve ormanlarin sirdasi. Artik bizim gibi degil, Su içmez, kimildamaz. Uyanikligi hiç yok, Uykusu az. Öyle garip ve öyle sade, Süsler yapacagiz süslerinden. Tüyleri gibi aydinlik, Ve bir sey görmeyen. Hazir, etrafin düsmanliginda, Zaferin bitmez tükenmez yemegi. Aklimizin, korkumuzun, ellerimizin, Beraber yiyecegi !

The Prey we Killed It had eyes glaring in the night And courage, vast courage. Yet we were enticed By advantage. We halted at the mouth of the dark cave And left the rock as we passed by. Close to the secrets of nights and forests, It broke into silence from its hue and cry. It no longer resembles us, Drinks no water, moves not a whit, It is never wakeful, Sleeps a tiny bit. So strange and so plain -- From its ornaments we shall fashion our own As shiny as its soft hair And blind as stone. It is ready, in the enmity of girding space -- Victory's inexhaustible meat, Which our minds and fears and hands together Shall eat.