Gonca Özmen
MY LAMB
Sayeed says revolution. My hair in a bun.
Sayeed and I our mouths are half open. We breathe sounds in and out.
We believe in Sümeyra. My hair tied up.
To the one nestling beside him Sayeed never says no. He says my lamb.
To the one nestling beside me I never say no.
Jar ȗ Evin. Jar ȗ Evin.
If I could find water, find water to cleanse myself
My hair tied up like this. Dull like this. Neat like this
They say my lamb to me – I say to them my lamb
I’m afraid when anyone says for you I will lay down my life
As I grow afraid, the bells of my body are jangled
As I grow afraid, goats are raucously mating
Sayeed says massacre. My hair tied up.
Sayeed and I our mouths are half open. We breathe deaths in and out.
We believe in Süleyman. My hair tied up.
If I could find a lover, find a lover to deceive me
My hair tied up like this. Mute like this. Half-light like this
MIJN LAM
Said zegt: revolutie. Mijn haar zit in een knot.
Saids mond en de mijne zijn half open. We ademen klanken in en uit.
We geloven in Sümeyra. Mijn haar zit in een knot.
Nooit zegt Said als je tegen hem aankruipt: ga weg. Hij zegt: mijn lam.
Nooit zeg ik als je tegen mij aankruipt: ga weg.
Jar ȗ Evin. Jar ȗ Evin*
Vond ik maar water om me te wassen water om me te wassen
Mijn haar zit in zo’n knot. Zo dof. Zo keurig.
Ik ben bang als iemand zegt: laat mij jouw offer zijn.
Hoe banger ik word hoe vreemder de klokken van mijn lichaam klinken.
Hoe banger ik word hoe harder de geiten mekkeren bij het paren.
Ze noemen mij: mijn lam - ik noem hen: mijn lam.
Said zegt: bloedbad. Mijn haar zit in een knot.
Saids mond en de mijne zijn duister. We ademen doden in en uit.
We geloven in Süleyman. Mijn haar zit in een knot.
Vond ik maar een geliefde omv te bedriegen een geliefde om te bedriegen.
Mijn haar zit in zo’n knot. Zo sprakeloos. Zo tussen licht en donker.
Publisher: 2022, Voor het eerst gepubliceerd op PoetryInternational.com,
KUZUM
Said devrim diyor. Benim saçlarım topuz.
Said’le ikimizin ağzı aralık. Sesler alıp sesler veriyoruz.
Sümeyra’ya inanıyoruz. Benim saçlarım topuz.
Yanına kıvrılana git demiyor hiç Said. Kuzum diyor.
Yanıma kıvrılana git demiyorum hiç ben.
Jar ȗ Evin. Jar ȗ Evin.
Yunacak su bulsam su bulsam ben yunacak
Saçlarım böyle topuz. Böyle fersiz. Böyle derli toplu.
Biri kurban olayım deyince korkuyorum ben.
Ben korktukça gövdemin çanları bir başka çalıyor.
Ben korktukça tekeler çiftleşiyor bağır çağır.
Kuzum diyorlar bana – kuzum diyorum onlara.
Said katliam diyor. Benim saçlarım topuz.
Said’le ikimizin ağzı karanlık. Ölümler alıp ölümler veriyoruz.
Süleyman’a inanıyoruz. Benim saçlarım topuz.
Kanacak yar bulsam yar bulsam ben kanacak
Saçlarım böyle topuz. Böyle dilsiz. Böyle fer fecir.
MY LAMB
Sayeed says revolution. My hair in a bun.
Sayeed and I our mouths are half open. We breathe sounds in and out.
We believe in Sümeyra. My hair tied up.
To the one nestling beside him Sayeed never says no. He says my lamb.
To the one nestling beside me I never say no.
Jar ȗ Evin. Jar ȗ Evin.
If I could find water, find water to cleanse myself
My hair tied up like this. Dull like this. Neat like this
They say my lamb to me – I say to them my lamb
I’m afraid when anyone says for you I will lay down my life
As I grow afraid, the bells of my body are jangled
As I grow afraid, goats are raucously mating
Sayeed says massacre. My hair tied up.
Sayeed and I our mouths are half open. We breathe deaths in and out.
We believe in Süleyman. My hair tied up.
If I could find a lover, find a lover to deceive me
My hair tied up like this. Mute like this. Half-light like this
MY LAMB
Sayeed says revolution. My hair in a bun.
Sayeed and I our mouths are half open. We breathe sounds in and out.
We believe in Sümeyra. My hair tied up.
To the one nestling beside him Sayeed never says no. He says my lamb.
To the one nestling beside me I never say no.
Jar ȗ Evin. Jar ȗ Evin.
If I could find water, find water to cleanse myself
My hair tied up like this. Dull like this. Neat like this
They say my lamb to me – I say to them my lamb
I’m afraid when anyone says for you I will lay down my life
As I grow afraid, the bells of my body are jangled
As I grow afraid, goats are raucously mating
Sayeed says massacre. My hair tied up.
Sayeed and I our mouths are half open. We breathe deaths in and out.
We believe in Süleyman. My hair tied up.
If I could find a lover, find a lover to deceive me
My hair tied up like this. Mute like this. Half-light like this
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