Cahit Kulebi (1917-1997)

He worked as a literature teacher after graduating from the School of Education (1942). He retired after holding positions as education inspector (1956-1960), cultural attaché in Switzerland (1964), chief superintendent at the Ministry of Education (1964-1969), and Vice Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture (1972). He also worked as general editor at the Turkish Language Association. He has an important place in contemporary Turkish poetry due to his attachment to folk poetry traditions. His poetry is enriched with simple yet ironic language, embellished with original descriptions. POETRY: Adamın Biri (1946), Rüzgâr Atatürk Kurtuluş Savaşında (1952), Yeşeren Otlar (1954), Süt (1965), Şiirler (1969, collected poetry), Türk Mavisi-Atatürk Kurtuluş Savaşında (1973), Sıkıntın ve Umut (1977), Yangın (1980), Bütün Şiirleri (1982, collected poems). (1949)

SONG

Your lips are red,

Your hands are white

Take my hands, child,

Hold them a while.

In the village where I was born

There were no walnut trees

That's why I yearn for coolness.

Fondle me a while.

In the village where I was born

There were no cornfields

so scatter your hair, child,

Flaunt it a while.

In the village where I was born

The north winds blew.

That's why my lips are cracked

Kiss them a while.

In the village where I was born

Bandits struck by night.

That's why I hate to be alone

Speak with me a while.

In the village where I was born

Men did not know how to laugh.

That's why I am still so wretched

Make me laugh a while.

You are light and beauty, like my country,

The village where I was born was beautiful too.

Now tell me of the place where you were born

Tell me a while.

Translated by Bernard Lewis           

DURING THE WAR

Each night fathers came home ashamed

During the war

Mothers' breasts were drained of milk

And the babies cried.

Men went to war.

Women stayed behind like skeletons.

Young girls grew pale during the war.

And from all those battles

Nothing remains but a memory.

Translated by Talât Sait Halman

[From An Anthology of Turkish Literature, Edited by Kemal Silay]