BEHÇET AYSAN
(1949-1993)

A LAVENDER DEATH
I'm broken-hearted, I'm like 
a scattered pomegranate 

I'm a stream flowing silently 
                through the night 
I'd go if you say so 
If you say so I'd stay

if you say 
go 
the birds, autumn birds, wouldn't return either, 
with me I'd take cherry bunches

and the good days I lived 
                         with you, 
the bad days 
I'd leave.

the same sky the same grief 
nothing changes. 
I should go 
and stand against the rain.

I'm an unchanted song, abandoned

perhaps 
I'll stay 
in the pale old photographs, 

on the tongue of a dark child perhaps.

all the depths are shallow 
all the words provisional

nothing, nothing changes 
but death.
the same sky the same grief.

Translated by Yusuf Eradam

ANA SAYFAYA - BACK