I am listening to Istanbul, with my eyes closed.

The drunkeness of ancient feastings in my head.

A seashore villa with dim -lit boathouse

With howling of the dying west wind

I am listening to Istanbul, with my eyes closed.

It is no exaggeration to say that Orhan Veli and the Garip movement represents a watershed in Turkish literature. After him free verse and an unlimited range of themes became the rule, while ``aruz'' meter and ``the rose and the nightingale'' became anachronisms. Though not a prolific writer himself, Orhan Veli broke the conventional mold of polite Turkish verse. While discarding rhyme and meter Orhan Veli espresses an almost nihilistic world view that replaced him firmly in the company of modern western man.

    The problem and so on, it was not thus.

``To be or not to be'' for him:

One evening he went to sleep:

He just didn't wake up.

They took him; they carried him out.

Washed him, said their prayers, buried him.

If he creditors hear that he has died

Surely they will forgive his debts.

As for the money owed to him,

The late lamented, had no credit due to him for sure.

Birdenbire 

Her şey birdenbire oldu. 
Birdenbire vurdu gün ışığı yere; 
Gökyüzü birdenbire oldu; 
Mavi birdenbire. 
Her şey birdenbire oldu; 
Birdenbire tütmeye başladı duman topraktan; 
Filiz birdenbire oldu, tomurcuk birdenbire. 
Yemiş birdenbire oldu. 

Birdenbire, 
Birdenbire; 
Her şey birdenbire oldu. 
Kız birdenbire, oğlan birdenbire; 
Yollar, kırlar, kediler, insanlar... 
Aşk birdenbire oldu, 
Sevinç birdenbire.

Orhan Veli KANIK

 

I am listening to Istanbul, intent, my eyes closed;

At first there blows a gentle breeze

And the leaves on the trees

Softly flutter or sway;

Out there, far away,

The bells of water carriers incessantly ring;

I am listening to Istanbul, intent, my eyes closed.

 

I am listening to Istanbul, intent, my eyes closed;

Then suddenly birds fly by,

Flocks of birds, high up, in a hue and cry

While nets are drawn in the fishing grounds

And a woman's feet begin to dabble in the water.

I am listening to Istanbul, intent, my eyes closed.

 

I am listening to Istanbul, intent, my eyes closed.

The Grand Bazaar is serene and cool,

A hubbub at the hub of the market,

Mosque yards are brimful of pigeons,

At the docks while hammers bang and clang

Spring winds bear the smell of sweat;

I am listening to Istanbul, intent, my eyes closed.

 

I am listening to Istanbul, intent, my eyes closed;

Still giddy since bygone bacchanals,

A seaside mansion with dingy boathouses is fast asleep,

Amid the din and drone of southern winds, reposed,

I am listening to Istanbul, intent, my eyes closed.

 

I am listening to Istanbul, intent, my eyes closed.

Now a dainty girl walks by on the sidewalk:

Cusswords, tunes and songs, malapert remarks;

Something falls on the ground out of her hand,

It's a rose I guess.

I am listening to Istanbul, intent, my eyes closed.

 

I am listening to Istanbul, intent, my eyes closed;

A bird flutters round your skirt;

I know your brow is moist with sweat

And your lips are wet.

A silver moon rises beyond the pine trees:

I can sense it all in your heart's throbbing.

I am listening to Istanbul, intent, my eyes closed.

 

                        Orhan Veli Kanik

 

                Translated by Talat Sait Halman (1982)

 

ISTANBUL'U DINLIYORUM

 

Istanbul'u dinliyorum, gozlerim kapali

Once hafiften bir ruzgar esiyor;

Yavas yavas sallaniyor

Yapraklar, agaclarda;

Uzaklarda, cok uzaklarda,

Sucularin hic durmayan cingiraklari

Istanbul'u dinliyorum, gozlerim kapali.

 

Istanbul'u dinliyorum, gozlerim kapali;

Kuslar geciyor, derken;

Yukseklerden, suru suru, ciglik ciglik.

Aglar cekiliyor dalyanlarda;

Bir kadinin suya degiyor ayaklari;

Istanbul'u dinliyorum, gozlerim kapali.

 

Istanbul'u dinliyorum, gozlerim kapali;

Serin serin Kapalicarsi

Civil civil Mahmutpasa

Guvercin dolu avlular

Cekic sesleri geliyor doklardan

Guzelim bahar ruzgarinda ter kokulari;

Istanbul'u dinliyorum, gozlerim kapali.

 

Istanbul'u dinliyorum, gozlerim kapali;

Basimda eski alemlerin sarhoslugu

Los kayikhaneleriyle bir yali;

Dinmis lodoslarin ugultusu icinde

Istanbul'u dinliyorum, gozlerim kapali.

 

Istanbul'u dinliyorum, gozlerim kapali;

Bir yosma geciyor kaldirimdan;

Kufurler, sarkilar, turkuler, laf atmalar.

Birsey dusuyor elinden yere;

Bir gul olmali;

Istanbul'u dinliyorum, gozlerim kapali.

 

Istanbul'u dinliyorum, gozlerim kapali;

Bir kus cirpiniyor eteklerinde;

Alnin sicak mi, degil mi, biliyorum;

Dudaklarin islak mi, degil mi, biliyorum;

Beyaz bir ay doguyor fistiklarin arkasindan

Kalbinin vurusundan anliyorum;

Istanbul'u dinliyorum.

 

                 Orhan Veli KANIK

 

Before dawn, 
While the sea is still snow-white, you will set sail; 
The grip of the oars in your palms, 
And in your heart the joy of toil and vigor, 
You will go. 
In the roll and sway of the nets, you will go. 
For welcome, fish will appear on your course 
Delighting you. 
As you shake the nets, 
Scale by scale, the sea will journey into your hands. 
When silence pervades the souls of seagulls 
In the cemetery of the rocks, 
All of a sudden, 
All hell will break loose on the horizon: 
Mermaids will scuttle and birds scurry... 
Saturnalia and festivals, orgies and carnivals, 
Bridal processions, masquerades, revelries, carausals... 
Heeeyy! 
Whaddya waiting for, man, jump in the sea! 
Forget who's waitying for you back there. 
Don't you see: Freedom is all around you. 
Be the sail, the oar, the rudder, the fish, the water, 
And go, go whereever you can. 

                                   Orhan Veli KANIK  

Gün dogmadan, 
Deniz daha bembeyazken çıkacaksın yola. 
Kürekleri tutmanın şehveti avuçlarında, 
İçinde bir iş görmenin saadeti, 
Gideceksin; 
Gideceksin iri pınarların çalkantısında. 
Balıklar çıkacak yoluna karşıcı; 
Sevineceksin. 
Ağları silkeledikçe 
Deniz gelecek eline pul pul. 
Ruhları sustuğu vakit martıların, 
Kayalıklardaki mezarlarında, 
Birden, 
Bir kıyamet kopacak ufuklarda. 
Deniz kızları mi dersin, kuşlar mi dersin; 
Bayramlar seyranlar mi dersin, senlikler cümbüşler mi? 
Gelin alayları, teller, duvaklar, donanmalar mi ? 
Heeey! 
Ne duruyorsun be, at kendini denize; 
Geride bekleyenin varmış, aldırma; 
Görmüyor musun, her yanda hürriyet; 
Yelken ol, kürek ol, dümen ol, balık ol, su ol; 
Git gidebildiğin yere.            Orhan Veli KANIK