What is told to the ones who leave the homeland
“Take the most useful items”, a catchword comes to my mind
what could be the unnecessary things in a person’s life
maybe some extra pens, a pair of socks, maybe teaspoons
Is it the multicolored carpet on which my child had his first walk
my pillow with which I had a chat, or is it my ceiling on which I watched my dreams
is it the willow tree in my garden, or my hortensias
or my people who hurriedly came to help me find a solution to my trouble
and are even my seasons, my sun, or my moon nonessential
I seem to hear your voices thinking that I exaggerated
the fact that I did not abondon my seasons, my moon, and my sun
When I got on my boat in Üsküdar
as my sun was setting over the Marmara Island
I miss the seagulls flying after the food, piercing silence
I take a free and deep breath as I watch the yellow and hot Bosphorus
I get to Karakoy
to the Galata Tower painted into blue by my moon
I gaze upon my Istanbul which takes many meteoric showers
to my heart’s content and always with admiration
Everything, things that made me exist are all necessary
for me not to vanish into the blue
let them be beside me, at my elbow, stand by me
English Translation by Mesut ŞENOL