LEYLA IŞIK

 

LEYLA IŞIK

 

On That Line

 

You are on the point where the sea meets the sky.

Even though I would be a seagull

the wind sits at my wings

I cannot get to you

You my Sun, while you go down

me the Moon, I will rise

maybe as the evening was descending over the sea

you at one edge,

me on another

we will be facing each other for a while

You, in the red colors of the Sun

me, in the silvery color of the Moon

will be united only in sea sparkles.

The sea will receive us with open arms

we will be getting to the beach with gushing waves

the beach is wet… The beach as moist as my eyes

the pebbles, that did not get cold, are still hot

like my heart

You are on the point where the sea meets the sky.

Even though I would be a sailing boat

and set sail heading towards you

the wind sits at my sails

and I cannot get to you

even though the nights

and days pass

the moisture of the sea is on my sails

like my wet eyes

 

In the darkness of the night

a dot like light on my sailing mast

with the rolling waves

it will blink at my heart.

Like my hopes

one day my heart in love will give in

with my eyes open

on that line

 

ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY MESUT ŞENOL

 

 

 

 

Not Today!

 

Since there are so many innocent children looking into my eyes

As humanity being in its last stand

And the sun being about entering into darkness

Do not expect me to smile.

Blood dribbling from hands

My peace dove could not fly anymore

Wire fences built not in frontiers

But in brains instead.

Me on this side of the water

You on the other side

While being deeply grieved

And my tongue turned red

And me crying inside

Do not expect me to keep quiet.

Dinner tables are set

Around them sit bastards

Flowing with milk and honey!

My heart fell to pieces

Yesterday I made myself hungry

Even before yesterday

And today

I hesitate taking food

I lose my appetite

Their geography doesn’t matter!

When they are dying for a tad bit

Do not expect me to be full!

Let religions not be questioned

Languages

Races

Colors

You know Eve was our mother,

And Adam our father,

What happened to our brotherhood?

Let humanity not to be executed by shooting

Do not expect me to die

I promised peace

I am going to die

Nevertheless, not today.

 

ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY MESUT ŞENOL

 

 

 

 

Let Me Say “Hold My Hands…”

 

“With your arrival

Time sticks its lip towards my lips

Longing gets unsealed.

My eyes get lit in the sparkling lines of your eyes

My heart catches fire

Like candles getting burnt one by one.”

I wrap the sour evenings tasting like an aged wine in cellar with my fingertips like tobacco. I drink it spiritless tasting a cigarette, The walls hang down and grovel to my feet. All prayers I know have been erased from my memory. I get silent to my side that became lonely. The darkness makes judgement. My unquestionable yielding to darkness is just for you…

Even though it is a dream of a moment, you come and sit in front of me. You are one breath away from me. I want to touch. Your skin is far away from my skin, and you feel cold. I extend my skin to your skin, you have to get dressed. Your body refuses, and it gets hung on the tip of my fingers…

In fact, you are a cooled ember waiting for its wind, and you are a flame on the tip of my fingers.

Merely your eyes touch my eyes.

My legends are being dropped from my lips shamelessly. My eyes rain without a thunder and lightning. I get thin in your soul’s window…

Without landing hopelessly on your land,

Just like that! I would like to stay like that.

Let me say “Hold my hands…”

 

ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY MESUT ŞENOL

 

LEYLA IŞIK