{"id":54361,"date":"2020-08-02T11:59:42","date_gmt":"2020-08-02T17:59:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/?p=54361"},"modified":"2020-08-02T11:59:42","modified_gmt":"2020-08-02T17:59:42","slug":"abdal-asik-three-poems-in-english-turkish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/abdal-asik-three-poems-in-english-turkish\/","title":{"rendered":"Abdal A\u015f\u0131k: Three Poems in English & Turkish"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Welcome to our August edition of READ Local First, Utah\u2019s\u00a0most comprehensive collection of poets and authors. This month we introduce you to poet Abdal A<\/span>\u015f\u0131k.\u00a0A<\/span>\u015f\u0131k’s poems are inspired by his historic hometown of Tarsus, Turkey, where he was born in living room of his grandparents.<\/p>\n

Among his influences, he counts Anatolian culture, traditional Turkish ballads, and “the profound humanism of my grandmother.”<\/p>\n

A<\/span>\u015f\u0131k lives in Salt Lake City with his wife (fellow writer and 15 Bytes READ Local contributor Nan Seymour) and their dog Sophie. Love and beauty are prominent themes in his work, which he describes as “ordered by the soul.”<\/p>\n

Today’s publication features three poems in Turkish with the poet’s English translations. We give deference to the original text: the Turkish version of each poem appears above its translation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

B\u0131rak \u015eiirim Sevsin Seni<\/h3>\n

<\/h4>\n

Ellerin, beni b\u00fcy\u00fcten ana gibi \u00e7al\u0131\u015fkanlar.<\/h4>\n

O halde b\u0131rak, ellerinden seveyim seni.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

Ayaklar\u0131n, yorgun arg\u0131n ge<\/span>\u00e7 ak\u015fam d<\/span>\u00fc\u015f\u00fcr\u00fcr seni eve.<\/span><\/h4>\n

O halde b\u0131rak, ayaklar\u0131ndan seveyim seni.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

Akl\u0131n, g<\/span>\u00fczel fikirler \u00fcretmeye pek bir yatk\u0131nd\u0131r.<\/h4>\n

O halde b\u0131rak, akl\u0131n\u0131 seveyim senin.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

Can\u0131n, insan olu\u015funu s\u00f6yler durur bana.<\/h4>\n

O halde b\u0131rak, can\u0131n\u0131 seveyim senin.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

Y\u00fcre\u011fine gelince, s\u00f6zler desin diyece\u011fini ona.<\/h4>\n

O halde, b\u0131rak \u015fiirim sevsin seni!<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

Nas\u0131l, b\u00f6yle iyi mi?<\/h4>\n

Benimkide sevmek olsun seni i\u015fte! <\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

<\/h3>\n

Let My Poetry Love You<\/h3>\n

<\/h4>\n

Your hands are as hard working as<\/h4>\n

the mother who raised me.<\/h4>\n

Let me love you from your hands.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

Your feet get tired all day<\/h4>\n

and bring you home late evening.<\/h4>\n

Let me love you from your feet.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

Your mind is so good at<\/h4>\n

producing beautiful ideas.<\/h4>\n

Let me love you from your mind.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

Your soul keeps saying<\/h4>\n

I am human, human I am!<\/h4>\n

Let me love you from your soul.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

When it comes to your heart<\/h4>\n

I want my words to tell her:<\/h4>\n

Let me love you from my poetry.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

How is it?<\/h4>\n

Is it good like that?<\/h4>\n

This is how my work is loving you!<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

<\/h3>\n

Bu Muhte\u015fem \u00d6zlemin \u0130\u00e7inde<\/h3>\n

<\/h4>\n

K\u0131rm\u0131z\u0131lar,<\/h4>\n

sar\u0131lar,<\/h4>\n

pembe olanlar\u0131n\u0131 bile g\u00f6r\u00fcyorum.<\/h4>\n

\u015eu renklere bak,<\/h4>\n

onlar ki senin bah\u00e7enin ahengi olanlar.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

K\u00f6klerine nas\u0131l da derinden t\u0131pk\u0131 benim<\/h4>\n

sevdan\u0131n s\u00f6zlerine olan aidiyetim gibi ba\u011fl\u0131lar.<\/h4>\n

Ah, bu bah\u00e7e, bu bahar, bu laleler\u2026<\/h4>\n

Hepsi birden bana hissini verirler<\/h4>\n

G\u00fclhane Park\u0131 boyunca y\u00fcr\u00fcmenin<\/h4>\n

ayn\u0131 anda hem dogu hem bat\u0131 y<\/span>\u00f6n\u00fcne do<\/span>\u011fru.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

K\u00f6pr\u00fc hen<\/span>\u00fcz g\u00f6r\u00fcnm\u00fcyor, ama<\/h4>\n

kokusunu almaktay\u0131m k\u00fclt\u00fcr ve tarih okyanusunun.<\/h4>\n

Vapura binipte,<\/h4>\n

Bo\u011faz\u2019\u0131n sesini dinleyece\u011fim ana de\u011fin,<\/h4>\n

att<\/span>\u0131g\u0131m her ad\u0131mda.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

\u015eimdi onlar\u0131n hepsi benimle burada,<\/h4>\n

herkesten uzakta ama senin bana var oldugun,<\/h4>\n

bu evin i\u00e7inde ya\u015famaktalar.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

Nefes almak \u00f6lmek gibi bu muhte\u015fem \u00f6zlemin i\u00e7inde.<\/h4>\n

ama gel g\u00f6r ki;<\/h4>\n

bir de bu sevda var<\/h4>\n

i\u00e7inde benim sana s\u00f6ylemekte oldu\u011fum.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

<\/h3>\n

In This Magnificent Longing<\/h3>\n

<\/h4>\n

They are red,<\/h4>\n

they are yellow,<\/h4>\n

I even see the pink ones.<\/h4>\n

Look at those colors,<\/h4>\n

they are the harmony of your garden.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

They deeply belong to their roots<\/h4>\n

like I deeply belong to the words of love.<\/h4>\n

Ah, this garden, this spring, these tulips\u2026<\/h4>\n

All they are, fully giving me the sense of<\/h4>\n

walking through the G\u00fclhane Park,<\/h4>\n

towards the directions of<\/h4>\n

east and west at the same time.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

The bridge is not there yet, but<\/h4>\n

I smell the ocean of history and culture<\/h4>\n

in every step that I take,<\/h4>\n

until I get on the ferry<\/h4>\n

to listen the sound of the Bosphorus.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

Now they are all living with me here.<\/h4>\n

I am away from everything but this house<\/h4>\n

in which I only have you.<\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

Breathing is like dying in this magnificent longing.<\/h4>\n

But on the other hand,<\/h4>\n

there is this love,<\/h4>\n

I keep singing in it.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

<\/h3>\n

Halan\u0131n \u015eiiri<\/h3>\n

<\/h4>\n

Ne yana d\u00f6n\u00fcp baksam<\/h4>\n

G\u00f6r\u00fcyorumki insanlar:<\/h4>\n

hala tahrip ediyor,<\/h4>\n

hala \u00f6ld\u00fcr\u00fcyor,<\/h4>\n

hala bel alt\u0131ndan,<\/h4>\n

hala pu\u015ft\u00e7a yani<\/h4>\n

ve de hala y\u00fczs\u00fczce.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

Hal b\u00f6yle olunca bende gelip sana,<\/h4>\n

s\u00f6ylemek istiyorum tekraren:<\/h4>\n

Olmaz sevdi\u011fim,<\/h4>\n

m\u00fcmk\u00fcn\u00fc yok benim onlarla bu pazarda al\u0131\u015fveri<\/span>\u015fim.<\/h4>\n

Ben hala emek\u00e7i insanl\u0131\u011f\u0131n \u00fcniformas\u0131n\u0131 giyip,<\/h4>\n

hala umudun odas\u0131nda yat\u0131p kalkarak,<\/h4>\n

davet \u015fiirlerimi yazaca\u011f\u0131m hala.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

C\u00fcmlelerimi \u00fcretece\u011fim<\/h4>\n

hala sevda s\u00f6zlerini kullanarak,<\/h4>\n

ki bu benim tek ve yaln\u0131zca bir i\u015fim.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

Hala akl\u0131mla,<\/h4>\n

can\u0131mla hala,<\/h4>\n

hala y\u00fcregimle,<\/h4>\n

ve kalemimle hala.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

Bu y\u00fcz y\u0131lda sevdi\u011fim, <\/span><\/h4>\n

hala dokunarak antika bir daktilonun tellerine,<\/h4>\n

nas\u0131l dokunuyorsam o ipekten sa\u00e7lar\u0131na,<\/h4>\n

nazik<\/span>\u00e7e ve de hakiki bir bi\u00e7imde.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

Hala insan kalarak.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

<\/h3>\n

The Poem of Still<\/h3>\n

<\/h4>\n

Wherever I look<\/h4>\n

I see people:<\/h4>\n

still devastating,<\/h4>\n

still killing,<\/h4>\n

still below the belt,<\/h4>\n

still scoundrels<\/h4>\n

and still brazen.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

I want to come to you and say again:<\/h4>\n

No way my love, no way,<\/h4>\n

I will not deal at their market.<\/h4>\n

I will still write my invitation poems,<\/h4>\n

still staying<\/h4>\n

in the room of hope,<\/h4>\n

still wearing<\/h4>\n

the uniform of my proletarian people.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

I will produce my own sentences<\/h4>\n

still using the words of love,<\/h4>\n

my only and lonely business.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

still with my mind<\/h4>\n

still with my soul<\/h4>\n

still with my heart<\/h4>\n

still with my pen.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

In this century my love,<\/h4>\n

I still touch the strings of<\/h4>\n

an antique typewriter<\/h4>\n

like I touch your silken hair<\/h4>\n

gently and genuinely.<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

Still human.<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Love and beauty are prominent themes in A\u015f\u0131k’s work, which he describes as “ordered by the soul.” This installment of READ Local First includes three poems in Turkish with the poet’s English translations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1566,"featured_media":54362,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_piecal_is_event":false,"_piecal_start_date":"","_piecal_end_date":"","_piecal_is_allday":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,2513],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54361","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-literary-arts","category-read-local-first"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AbdalAski.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-06 09:06:37","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54361","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1566"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54361"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54361\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":54367,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54361\/revisions\/54367"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54362"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54361"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54361"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54361"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}