Long Handkerchiefs Poems

Turkish Poetry Translations II

Çanakkale Sehitlerine
"For the Çanakkale Martyrs"
by Mehmet Akif Ersoy
loose English translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Was there ever anything like the Bosphorus war??
The earth’s mightiest armies pressing Marmara,
Forcing entry between her mountain passes
To a...

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Such Tenderness
by Michael R. Burch

for the mothers of Gaza

There was, in your touch, such tenderness—as
only the dove on her mildest day has,
when she shelters downed fledglings beneath a warm wing
and coos to them softly, unable...

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Mahmoud Darwish English Translations of Arabic Poems



Palestine
by Mahmoud Darwish
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

This land gives us
all that makes life worthwhile:
April's blushing advances,
the aroma of bread warming at dawn,
a woman haranguing men,
the poetry of Aeschylus,
love's...

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Bee-Real


As I flew up, into the air, 
I looked back one last time at the hive.
All the bees were standing there.
Some were happy and proud to see me go; some were still crying.
As they held...

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Candy floss, seaside rock, smoothies, and flags sporting
Union Jacks
Replace the old traditions of striped deckchairs 
And Kiss-Me-Quick hats.
Chipwicks for our salt and vinegar fries
And their pole-and-line freshly caught local Cod;
The Vintners Parrot: For thick sizzling...

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Bands of sunlight
Streamed through the curtains
Woke up to a glorious spring day
In Lowndes County Georgia 1918
Little Sara and Clint jumped in our bed
For morning hugs around
A day to remember
Filled with love, legacy
Our people

Slipped on my...

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Yahya Kemal Beyatli translations

Yahya Kemal Beyatli (1884-1958) was a Turkish poet, editor, columnist and historian, as well as a politician and diplomat. Born born Ahmet Âgâh, he wrote under the pen names Agâh Kemal, Esrar,...

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Sunny, hot, humid, summer morning, taking my first train ride
 I'm so excited and it's thrilling can't wait to go north where it's cool 
to stay with my grandpa and grandma.
Ma and pa say I'm...

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I can recall the first time she ever held me in her arms and looked into my 

eyes… she was more different than anyone else I would ever come to know.  It 

was the...

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War World II was raging over this
southern Italian town* spared by a miracle...
a deluge that suddenly occurred: 
a night of blasting sounds, of rising flames 
as American planes bombarded its buildings;
the Nazis fled to occupied...

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In endless quest we sought seclusions peace                          	
hiding in the...

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Homeward Bound


Land of mango and avocado 
Sweet , mild and refreshing 
Cassava bread with tea, coffee and hot cocoa 

Fresh meaty young coconut 
It’s water crisp and refreshing
 
Glazed peanut, cashew and coconut for a...

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The blue hour takes root ...

There is the dark wing of the steamer,
Which takes the open sea, and carries away its regrets,
Tiny passengers, waving handkerchiefs
And the seagulls passing and passing again.
Heavy rusty chains, in heaps...

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With trembling heart, as an attempt I made 
To leap across, he woke up with a start, 
The sword fell from his lap with a sharp clang, 
A terrifying scream when made me jump, 
I...

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You asked us not to cry when you have passed on 
	But we do not need handkerchiefs we need storm water drains
		May the flash floods of tears irrigate your memory and wishes

To dance on your...

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Blest with garments of varied hues and shades’ assortment
I practice an organized monthly color-scheme adornment…

January is greeted with vibrant green’s life-oozing zest
along moss, emerald and mint scarfs’ accenting best.

With blue motif of azure or cerulean...

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Come home from work
 See my girlfriend crying
 She can’t get on face book
 And whole day she trying

 Well I try to fix the computer
 To get she on the internet
 The girl cries...

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Come home from work 
See my girlfriend crying 
She can’t get on face book 
And whole day she trying 

Well I try to fix the computer 
To get she on the internet 
The girl cries...

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Scrawny Kid
Part one

Do you remember that Scrawny kid?
What’s his name in Class 4D,
Constantly holding on to himself,
Running out of class, desperate for a pee.
Never had a Handkerchief,
Always wore Green sleeves.
Spiky hair and worn out shoes,
That...

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Face book


Come home from work 
See my girlfriend crying
 She can’t get on face book
And whole day she trying

Well I try to fix the computer
To get she on the internet
The girl cries so much
Two handkerchiefs...

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Lincoln Special  
Abraham Lincoln’s Funeral Train


Ma, pa, and I dressed in our Sunday outfit, excited for the “Lincoln Special” to come up the track as we stand at the train depot.  

After departing...

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New city street

With the wink of an eye
and a shuffle of feet
We wandered about
down a new city street
Where vendors wore blue
with a tangerine sash
In hopes to look good
with no chance it would clash
Their carts were...

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1
some are going ahead
some are going back 

having my fingers wielded 
on an old type-writer
i’m thinking what should i do 

a pretty long time passed away
since the village alphabet 
had bade me farewell 

in my...

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"Negroes" and pork pie hats
white shirts, black ties
sweat stains under their arms,
even wetter, the pressed handkerchiefs that wipe faces and necks.
Father Abraham looks down upon his children
and sees the words "I am a man" over...

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Even after the rice was thrown and the streets picked  cleaned

A lonely squirrel searched for his share of the bounty

The widows had put their handkerchiefs in their purses

Tears of joy dried  and our...

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