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wildestrangerToday I have for you a Turkish communist poet, Nazim Hikmet (1902-1963). He spent thirteen years in prison for political crimes, and the text below is part of a series of poems he wrote for his wife during that time. Unfortunately I've been unable to find a Turkish text to go with the English translation.
Nazim Hikmet, ‘5th October 1945’.
We both know, my love,
they taught us:
how to be hungry, cold,
tired to death,
and apart.
We haven’t been forced to kill yet
or to go through the business of being killed.
We both know, my love,
we can teach:
how to fight for our people
and how – a little better
and deeper each day –
to love…
Trans. by Randy Blasing and Mutlu Konuk
Nazim Hikmet, ‘5th October 1945’.
We both know, my love,
they taught us:
how to be hungry, cold,
tired to death,
and apart.
We haven’t been forced to kill yet
or to go through the business of being killed.
We both know, my love,
we can teach:
how to fight for our people
and how – a little better
and deeper each day –
to love…
Trans. by Randy Blasing and Mutlu Konuk
no subject
Date: 2016-04-17 01:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-04-17 08:54 am (UTC)