Eşeği Saldım Çayıra
Eşeği saldım çayıra
Otlaya karnın doyura
Gördüğü düşü hayıra
Yoranın da avradını
Münkir münafıkın soyu
Yıktı harap etti köyü
Mezarına bir tas suyu
Dökenin de avradını
Derince kazın kuyusun
İnim inim inilesin
Kefen dikmeye iğnesin
Verenin de avradını
Dağdan tahta indirenin
İşkatına oturanın
Hizmetini bitirenin
İmamın da avradını
Müfsidin bir de gammazin
Malı vardır da yemezin
İkisin meyyid namazın
Kılanın da avradını
Kazak Abdal söz söyledi
Cümle halkı dahleyledi
Sorarlarsa kim söyledi
Soranın da avradını
- KAZAK ABDAL (Kaygusuz Abdal)
İngilizce / English
WARNING:
This poem is not intended for children or the faint hearted!
"I let the jackass out to graze"
I let the jackass out to graze
Hoped he'd fill his belly and laze
If by some daydream he was graced
Whoso then thinks that's God's embrace
Hem and Haw but Screw his Squaw!
Mischief makers and godless creed
By whom our town was wrecked now bleed
Were one to bless such grave and bleat
Whoso then waters weed and peat
Hem and Haw but Screw his Squaw!
Dig deep, deeply into his well
So that he'll moan and groan and yell
Were his shroud not yet sewn - O well!
Whoso threads a needle and shall
Hem and Haw but Screw his Squaw!
Them loggers there taking down trees
And those who build them back to please
Such services whoso then does lease
Were they clerics taking big fees
Hem and Haw but Screw his Squaw!
O see them villains and them moles
With hoarded treasures but no souls
To such pair and for such... blest scrolls
Whoso pays heed and pays tolls
Hem and Haw but Screw his Squaw!
Wandering Whitegoose had his say
He did everyone stir into fray
Then, whoso asks in awe today
Pray, who was it that such talk bray?
Hem and Haw but Screw his Squaw!
- KAZAK ABDAL (Whitegoose the Wanderer)
aka Kaygusuz Abdal (Carefree Wanderer)
About the Poet and the Poem:
Not very much is known about 'KAZAK ABDAL' - 'Whitegoose The 'Wanderer' aka 'Kaygusuz Abdal' - 'Carefree Wanderer' with any certainty, yet mysteriously and thankfully his yarns are still with us. It is believed that he lived in the early 15th century, in and around what is today southeastern Turkey, and that he came from an upper class family. Whitegoose was a peculiar sort of Muslim Dervish (monk), and true to his own Turkish heritage, he mocked the official paradigms as he enjoyed pork and was a heavy drinker of wine and other liquors! Apparently, a real sage but not a killjoy, he was, for his times an exceptionally open-minded cleric.
This poem is one of his surviving masterpieces. Perhaps, because he was outspoken and verbalized much of what so many wouldn't dare speak out-loud at that time? Like this one, his other poems are also set in the popular Turkish vernacular, replete with irony..
This is a more or less verbatim translation of his poem.
I always enjoyed this "monologue" in Turkish, now I hope you too can enjoy its English version above.
Thanks for visiting my website.
© 2014 - (Translation) Tacettin Fidan.
