Translating Poetry (2) - Orhan Veli Kanik PDF

Translating Poetry (2)  Orhan Veli Kanık (1914-1950), one of the poets of Republician era, writes poems that contains irony, humor, sincerity with his own style and was focus of interest of young contemporaries. Orhan Veli was a promi...

Translating Poetry (2)  Orhan Veli Kanık (1914-1950), one of the poets of Republician era, writes poems that contains irony, humor, sincerity with his own style and was focus of interest of young contemporaries. Orhan Veli was a prominent member of “Garip” movement. Melih Cevdet Anday and Oktay Rifat Horozcu were together *ORHAN with the poet. VELİ KANIK In 1941 three poets—Orhan Veli Kanık, Oktay Rifat, and Melih Cevdet Anday—initiated the Garip (“Strange”) movement with publication of a volume of poetry by the same name. In it they emphasized simplified language, folkloric poetic forms, and themes of alienation in the modern urban environment. Kanık wrote about love, death, joy of life, a sense of nostalgia for childhood with a simple style. He thought that everything may be topic of a poem, and Kanik's rebellion was actually against what is conventionally thought of as the "poetic" - lyrical effusions, elaborate conceits, stifling metres. Kanik's poems are about the texture of everyday life and about the sudden epiphany or realization glimpsed amidst life's chaos. Their language is simple and undecorative, all verbs and nouns, and they have a tone of casual utterance. *EXERCISE: Read “İstanbul'u Dinliyorum” by Orhan Veli Kanık https://tr.wikisource.org/wiki/%C4%B0stanbul%27u_Dinliyorum *Analysis of the Poem This poem captures the vibrant and dynamic soundscape of Istanbul through the ears of the poet, creating an immersive sensory experience for the reader. The repetition of "I listen to Istanbul, my eyes closed" acts as a refrain, emphasizing the poet's focus on the auditory impressions of the city. The poem's structure provides a rhythmic flow and allows the poet to evoke a range of sounds, from the gentle rustling of leaves to the clamor of birds and the hammering from the docks.  Compared to the author's other works, this poem exhibits a similar focus on capturing the essence of the city through its sensory qualities. However, it differs in its emphasis on the auditory rather than the visual aspects of Istanbul, which are often prominent in his other poems. Within the context of the time period, this poem aligns with the modernist trend of exploring urban experiences and the fragmentation of sensory perception. It reflects the poet's personal observations and impressions, offering a unique and intimate portrayal of the city. *EXERCISE: Make comment on the English translations of “İstanbul'u Dinliyorum”. *Translation by Talât Sait Halman in A Millennium of Turkish Literature. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press. pp. 143-4. https://hulyanyilmaz.com/2014/12/21/istanbulu-dinliyorum-i-am-listening-to-istan bul/ https://lyricstranslate.com/tr/istanbulu-dinliyorum-im-listening-istanbul.html EXERCISE Translate “İstanbul'u Dinliyorum” into English.   Yahya Kemal Beyatlı (1884-1958) was a prominent Turkish poet, essayist, and politician who remains *YAHYA an influential figure in Turkish literature. He is best known for his exquisite craftsmanship of KEMAL traditional forms and themes, particularly those associated with Ottoman history and culture. He BEYATLI infused his poems with a profound sense of nostalgia for a bygone era, imbuing them with a melancholic beauty that continues to resonate with readers today.  His poetic style, rooted in classical Ottoman traditions, is characterized by meticulous attention to form and meter, elegant language, and evocative imagery. Drawing inspiration from the rich tapestry of Turkish history and culture, Beyatlı's poems often explored themes of loss, longing, and the passage of time. He sought to preserve and celebrate the cultural heritage of the Ottoman Empire amidst the rapid social and political transformations of his time.  Beyatlı's work shared affinities with the poetry of T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound, who similarly sought to revitalize traditional forms and themes in their own respective literary contexts. However, Beyatlı's distinctly Turkish perspective, with its focus on Ottoman history and culture, sets his work apart. He is considered one of the most important figures in the Turkish Nationalist literature movement, which emphasized the significance of Turkish cultural identity during a period of significant change and upheaval.  Beyatli studied in Paris for several years and subsequently taught at Istanbul University.  Although he supported republican principles, much of Beyatli’s poetry glorifies the Ottoman past.  His lasting artistic achievement was his synthesis of classical Ottoman and contemporary French poetry.  Yahya Kemal Beyatli attained fame for his poems about the metaphysics of life and death. «Sessiz Gemi» is one of his most famous poems that deals metaphorically with death and its aftermath. EXERCISE 1 Read «Sessiz Gemi,» and compare it with its English translation. Sessiz Gemi Artık demir almak günü gelmişse zamandan Meçhule giden bir gemi kalkar bu limandan. Hiç yolcusu yokmuş gibi gider; Sallanmaz o kalkışta ne mendil, ne de bir kol. Rıhtımda kalanlar bu seyahatten elemli, Günlerce siyah ufka bakar gözler nemli, Biçare gönüller! Ne giden oğlu gemidir bu! Hicranlı hayat ne de son matemidir bu. Dünyada sevilmiş ve seven nafile bekler; Bilmez ki giden sevgililer dönmeyecekler. Bir kısmı gidenin biri memnun ki yerinden, bir kısmı seneler geçti; dönen yokluk mevcut. Silent Ship If the day has arrived at last to weigh anchor from time, A ship departs from this harbor toward an unknown clime. As if it has no passengers, silently it makes way; No hand nor handkerchief is waved as it sails away. This journey is distress for those left behind on the quay, Their tearful eyes scan the black horizons day after day. Desperate hearts: This will neither be the last ship to go Nor the final bereavement of a life filled with sorrow. In this world, the beloved and the lover wait in vain Not knowing that the loved ones will never come back again. EXERCISE 2 Translate “Sessiz Gemi” into English. REFERENCES Halman, Talât Sait (2011). A Millennium of Turkish Literature. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press. https://asosjournal.com/?mod=makale_ing_ozet&makale_id=33593 https://www.britannica.com/art/Turkish-literature/Modern-Turkish-litera ture#ref980060 https://middlestage.blogspot.com/2006/12/orhan-veli-kanik-all-of-sudd en.html https://allpoetry.com/I-Listen-To-Istanbul