While listening to Bach

 Bach’ı Dinlerken / While listening to Bach  by Tuğrul Tanyol melody filling my heart with light “Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen” like a cry to heaven rising with that voice a paean in a language I don’t understand maybe a plea to God never-ending echoes in that tiny church voices intertwining  the choir sings with sharedContinue reading “While listening to Bach”

The whole summer

Bütün Yaz – The Whole Summer by Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar How beautifully the whole summer passed, Nights in the little garden… You as white as lillies And a furtive thought,  As if in the moonlit night, There exists an impassable reverie To us it became a palace; To me it was like we’d been caged;Continue reading “The whole summer”

In a flash

Birdenbire – Suddenly by Orhan Veli Kanık Everything happened in a flash. Suddenly sunlight struck the earth; All at once there was sky; Suddenly blue. Everything happened in a flash; Suddenly fumes rose from the earth; All at once there were buds and sprouts. Suddenly fruit. In a flash;  In a flash;  Suddenly everything existed.Continue reading “In a flash”

Image thief

Ayna (Mirror) by Asaf Halet Çelebi bana aynada bir suret göründü an image appeared to me in the mirror benden başkası other than myself bilmem memleket-i çînden midir I don’t know of what land, maybe China? ya mâçînden mi or maybe beyond China? sordum kimsin diye who are you, I asked bir kahkaha atıp aContinue reading “Image thief”

Maybe alone (or not)

Arife Kalender – Yalnız Mı (Am I alone) Ben şimdi yalnız mıyım Am I alone now tek başıma bir geceyi izlerken while watching a night alone ilkin sen giriyorsun içeriye first you are coming inside ardından seninle gelenler after are those coming with you dost düşman friend, enemy her şey ve herkes burada everything andContinue reading “Maybe alone (or not)”

You sleep in a spot in the shade

Her şey yerli yerinde – Everything is in its place by Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar Everything is in its place; the cypress above the pond In the distance the sound of a creaking wheel Objects seem as if reflections of a magical slumber Ivy and the hum of bugs hug the house Everything is in itsContinue reading “You sleep in a spot in the shade”

The landscape changes

Seni Düşünmek – To Think of You by Nazım Hikmet Seni düşünmek güzel şey, ümitli şey To think of you is a beautiful thing, a hopeful thing Dünyanın en güzel sesindenEn güzel şarkıyı dinlemek gibi bir şey It’s as if listening to the most beautiful song sung by the world’s most beautiful voice Fakat artık ümitContinue reading “The landscape changes”

Haiku: not always 5-7-5

İstanbul için Hay-Kay’lar – Haikus for Istanbul by Orhan Veli Kanık Arzular ve Hatıralar – Desires and Memories Arzular başka şey, Desires are a different thing, Hatıralar başka. Memories are different. Güneşi görmeyen şehirde, In a city where the sun doesn’t shine, Söyle, nasıl yaşanır? Tell me, how can one live? Böcekler – Bugs Düşünme,Continue reading “Haiku: not always 5-7-5”

Next to the book

Yıldızlar — The Stars by Oktay Rifat  Kitabın yanında defter vardır, Next to the book is a writing journal, Defterin yanında bardak. A glass next to the journal. Çocuk bardağın yanında, A child next to the glass Çocuğun yanında kedi – A cat next to the child —  Ve bir beyaz karanfil. And a whiteContinue reading “Next to the book”

Fellow humans

Sizin İçin  by Orhan Veli Kanık Sizin için insan kardeşlerim, For you, fellow humans, Her şey sizin için; Everything is for you; Gece de sizin için, gündüz de; The night is for you, and the day; Gündüz gün ışığı, gece ay ışığı; The day’s sunlight, the night’s moonlight; Ay ışığında yapraklar; The leaves in theContinue reading “Fellow humans”