a breeze through the leafless branches
cooling my tea
as I watch the ships drift by
on the sea below
later I climb down
and stroll the promenade
sit on a solitary bench
to watch water lap the shore
some kids try their luck
shooting at balloons
cats prowl the rocks
searching for bits of food
a lazy afternoon
on my home turf
there’s fettuccine with salmon
for dinner at Rea
my two glasses of red wine
and the cappuccino Saffet brings
with cheesecake for dessert
later I stop to chat
with Mürsel over tea
buy some fruit from Ali’s cart
have a Benedictine and brandy
while the cat curls up on my arm
I will miss these days
one day
when I am gone
but for now
I lose myself
in the moments
of almost being at home
Author: zdunno03
Looking At The Moon And Thinking Of One Far Away by Chang Chiu-ling (Zhang Jialing)
The moon, grown full now over the sea,
Brightening the whole of heaven,
Brings to separated hearts
The long thoughtfulness of night. . .
It is no darker though I blow out the candle.
It is no warmer though I put on my coat.
So I leave my message with the moon
And turn to my bed, hoping for dreams.
translated by Witter Bynner & Kiang Kang-hu
learning to fly: a tanka
heart heavy today
adrift between continents
watching the sun set
my eyes follow longingly
if I could just learn to fly
At Wang Ch’ang-ling’s Retreat by Ch’ang Chien
Here, beside a clear deep lake,
You live accompanied by clouds;
Or soft through the pine the moon arrives
To be your own pure-hearted friend.
You rest under thatch in the shadow of your flowers,
Your dewy herbs flourish in their bed of moss.
Let me leave the world. Let me alight, like you,
On your western mountain with phoenixes and cranes.
translated by Witter Bynner & Kiang Kang-hu
A Buddist Retreat Behind Broken-Mountain Temple by Ch’ang Chien
In the pure morning, near the old temple,
Where early sunlight points the tree-tops,
My path has wound, through a sheltered hollow
Of boughs and flowers, to a Buddhist retreat.
Here birds are alive with mountain-light,
And the mind of man touches peace in a pool,
And a thousand sounds are quieted
By the breathing of a temple-bell.
translated by Witter Bynner & Kiang Kang-hu
A Night-Mooring Near Maple Bridge by Chang Chi (Zhang Ji)
While I watch the moon go down, a crow caws through the frost;
Under the shadows of maple-trees a fisherman moves with his torch;
And I hear, from beyond Su-chou, from the temple on Cold Mountain,
Ringing for me, here in my boat, the midnight bell.
translated by Witter Bynner & Kiang Kang-hu
Empty Streets by Özdemir İnce
I look at you
and my teeth are set on edge as if I’ve eaten green plums,
dawn’s peacock spreads open its tail.
I look at you
and our glances meet like two brooks,
the voice lilies of the streets blossom.
translated by Talat S. Halman
I Shut My Eyes Tight by Nazım Hikmet
I shut my eyes tight:
you are there in the dark,
lying on your back in the darkness,
your forehead and wrists are a golden triangle in the dark.
My darling, you are inside my eyelids that are closed,
there are songs inside my closed eyelids.
Now everything starts with you in there.
Now, nothing remains there that was mine before you
and nothing that doesn’t belong to you.
translated by Talat S. Halman
untitled love poem by Nazım Hikmet
Snow closed the road
you weren’t there
kneeling and facing you
I gazed at your face
with my eyes closed.
Ships won’t sail, planes won’t fly
you weren’t there
across from you I was leaning on the wall
I spoke and spoke and spoke
without opening my mouth.
You weren’t there
I touched you with my hands
my hands were on your face.
translated by Talat S. Halman
Tune: “Immortal at the River” by Su Shi
Drinking at Eastern Slope by night,
I sober, then get drunk again.
When I come back, it’s near midnight.
I hear the thunder of my houseboy’s snore,
I knock but no one answers at my door.
What can I do but, leaning on my cane,
Listen to the river’s refrain?
I long regret I am not master of my own.
When can I just ignore the hums of up and down?
In the still night the soft winds quiver
On the ripples of the river.
From now on, I would vanish with my little boat,
For the rest of my life, on the sea I would float.
translated by Xu Yuan-zhong
Leonard Durso 