Saying In The Fog

Suddenly, curtains closed one after another...
Kandilli1, Göksu2, Kanlıca3, İstinye4, where are they?

In the midst of pure emerald, flowing triumphantly,
Where is the turquoise river? Why is it hidden today?

I wouldn't dare compare you with no other place ;
But at the end of September, lakes in Switzerland are like this.

The fog of the poet who stifles an era with its curse
Is the most poisonous of conscience and soul's sorrows.

It reflected once more like a torment to my dream;
-Cover yourself! Sleep forever! Oh city! -That curse...

No, this state cannot last long, you are near;
You are behind this fog that still hasn'yet dispersed.

Emerge, glittering from the white darkness,
In your clarity, know not what's a week, month, and year.

May your sorrow and relief be ours in winter, summer...
May fate never separate us from you my dear.

Yahya Kemal Beyatlı

Translated by: Mehmet Barın Erturan
Click for the original text
  1. Kandilli is a seaside village (neigborhood) on the Anatolian side of İstanbul. The palace on top of the hill is the Adile Sultan Palace which is one of the defining monuments of this location. ↩︎
  2. Göksu is a creek on the Anatolian side of İstanbul. It is to the imediat north of Kandilli. The Fortress in the back is the Anatolian Fortress built during the reign of Beyazid the Thunderbolt. ↩︎
  3. Kanlıca another seaside village north of Göksu Creek. ↩︎
  4. İstinye is a seaside village on the European side of İstanbul. It is located inside of a bay and today it is known for its marinas and high-end shops. ↩︎