OKTAY TAFTALI
(1959)

KEON

I don't. know from where I remember your name
                                       I was brought up by myths
                                                        I can be mistaken

Was it a god of antiquity
or was it I who created it
                        by standing at the edge of my mind

by being a  modest and queer man
I suppose I'm getting ready for significant sins
I mumble whenever I say 'I'
yet I can repeat your  name so easily
                                                      keon
                                                             keon
                                                                  keon
and by trying out all the gods
                                    I only take you by my side by my side
I feel serious rages concerning hell
                                    you have guilt in it as well
once I kept a humanbeing at home, on my journey
                                                 and always by my side

now I keep a keon too
standing at the edge of my mind I look at you
then the streets and neon, the colors drive me crazy
I long to jump jump down
                              the space below is sound and weed
maybe it's my rage that stops me, maybe I'm afraid to

among all, I know that
                  a coward who burgeons forth from his foot
blooming early with the childish rain
                                at an unexpected moment
will call me by his side
to be forbidden deed
to the genoese gold

I long to jump down
                  the space below is sound and weed

I ask to myself
if it was I who created you
or if you don't
                   exist at all

translated by Nedime Harmandagli