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

Zaman Parýltýsý

     Karanlýklarda, gündüzlerin arkasýndayým,
     Bitmiþ ikinci dünya savaþý, uðursuz ve kahraman,
     Uzakta esir uluslar türkü söyler,
     Türklüðümün farkýndayým.

     Bir soluk gelmekte karþý gezegenlerden,
     Vakt içinden inmektedir gölgeler.
     Toprak üzerinde, atmosferler üzerinde
     Soðuyan gecemin farkýndayým.

     Biçimler, evlere, eþyalara rahatça sýðmýþ,
     Var olmuþ var olmayan.
     Biçimler sonsuzluða yaklaþmýþ,
     Aklýmýn farkýndayým.

     Ne aðaçlar uzanmýþ mevsimlerimce
     Ne yýldýzlar gerçek, aydýnlýðým kadar.
     Aþkla kýmýldayan küçücük ýþýklar uçusür içimde yön yön,
     Yaþadýðýmýn farkýndayým.



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 Parýltýsý" 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.