Poems by Metin Celâl

Life Ties
 
we were going where the names fell into disuse
with everybody from now and past
if circumstances fall behind
to be able to decorate the reality
 
Our intimacy was noticed
a hyacinth was shooting up
in the anniversary of dead
we knew who to call
 
habits were curbing us
daily affairs, dealings
we had to keep quiet when we were asked
we were not allowed to speak of the life which is not ours
 
memories were derelict to cool down
no one could separate us even in the photographs
we were not allowed to share your happy moments
there were also troubles to tell
always there and ready to listen
 
Translated by Gökçenur Ç
 



At Who the Benjamin’s Bag Was Left ?
 
thereat the word “reality” was in the news
we proffered to be serious and dignified
nobody saw us laughing
we were known by our names
 
thereat Turkish was spoken
we were not aware in which upcountry we are living
cliff-hangers were the dream’s land
our daughters were cross-eyed, mother at seventeen
whose life ended before saying a single phrase
 
thereat being religious was in vogue
dining pray always turned up at tables
payrolls were signed, at nine to five jobs
our wives never washed with sunlight
rakı was drunken while listening radio
 
thereat we lived with the pain of attaching the life importance
he haven’t been snatched away from our identities
we were remains of war, the ones who left medical school
no one met anyone who recognizes our face
they last saw us in women dresses
 
Gümüşlük 2011 Translated by Gökçenur Ç

Metin Celâl was born in 1961 in Ankara. He studied Petroil Engineering in ODTÜ and Journalism in Istanbul University. He worked as a director, redactor and general manager in various publishing houses and literary reviews. He also worked in the board of some literary reviews. He prepared antologies and dictionaries. Since 1979 his essays and poems are being published at literary reviews. His poems were translated into 10 different languages and published as book in French and German. He still serves as a director  of one publishing house.
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Poetry books: Adım Ölüm (My name is death) (1986), Kendi Kendini Tatmin (Self-satisfaction) (1989), Konformist(Conformist) (1993), Küçük Hayat Bağları (Tiny Life Connections) (1999), Herkes Kendine Yabancı (Everybody is stranger in himself)  (Toplu şiirler/Collected Poems/ 1999, 2011) 

Novels: Ne Güzel Çocuklardık Biz/How beautifull children we were (2000), Gitmek Zamanı/Time to departure (2003), Seni Sevdiğimi Biliyorsun /You know how much I love you (2005), Fazladan Bir Adam/One more man (2010). Hayatın Ucu/AtThe end of life  (2019).

Critic books: Yeni Türk Şiiri (1999)/New Turkish Poetry. Şiir Ustalardan Öğrenilir/Poetry is learnt by masters (2007)

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