Arzu Karadağ
(Turkey)
THE INVITATION
come to the day when i braid my hair
to my bosom on which i align the stones one by one
come to the laughing moment of my face
if i’m happy your coming won’t offend me
come to the land where i console myself with death
to my wounds i could wrap with the cities
come to the tired side of my mind
if i’m pensive your coming won’t offend me
come blowing in without being expected
i’m in the place where my eyes tend towards green
come dip me in love
donate me to the graves without prayers
to the starry nights of the east
SORROW
what are these distant ships carrying, master
two people mistaking the sea for the sky are at our table
if the tired ships of this gloomy sea did not exist
the world would think the grief in our eyes is unowned
what are these distant ships carrying, master
two people mistaking the sky for the hometown are at our table
but if the day were not our faces turning yellow without evening
the world would suppose the poverty in our hands is caused by the birds
AND PAIN
what day is today
i do not know why an account of time is not kept
leaning on the quiet mourning of a mountain
i’m watching the birds taking off from its ridge
what era is this
i do not know beyond what darkness we are
waking up with fear from the dreams
i embrace the sun
what summer of the year is this
have we been a little fading or blooming
i know the roof of loneliness has changed
time has been shaken off the feet of the mountains
and leaned on the stones
i touched it
i listened to it undauntedly
it said your forgetting is caused by pain
by pain
Translated by Baki Yiğit
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BIO
Was born in 1979 in Pülümür Dersim. She graduated from the Uludağ University, Faculty of Economics, Labour Economics and Industrial Relations. She is working in the logistics sector; she is the editor and coordinator of Ses and İz publications.
She published her first poems in Usça and Dostça magazine that she pulled out with her friends in university (1998). Then her works took part in the literature and art magazine
Prizes:
Bir Baktım Yarın / Ali Rıza Ertan Şiir Ödülü [2011]
Güneşin Tutundukları / Yılmaz Güney Şiir Ödülü [2012]
Kemiksizdir Dili Zamanın / Kaygusuz Abdal Şiir Ödülü [2013]
Kar Yazın – Sanat Şiir Ödülü [2013]
Ceyhun Atuf Kansu Şiir Ödülü [2015]
Books:
Kalbim Tut Beni [2005]
Şehirlere Düştü Gökyüzüm [2007]
Taşlanan Rüya [2010]
Bir Baktım Yarın [2012]