"The most beautiful sea
hasn't been crossed yet.
The most beautiful child
hasn't grown up yet.
Our most beautiful days
we haven't seen yet.
And the most beautiful words I wanted to tell you
I haven't said yet."
- 9-10 P.M. Poems: 24 September 1945
I posted this 5 years ago (?), but as it's Hikmet's birthday today, it's worth reposting ?
āTo live like a tree in solitude and
free and like a forest in solidarityā
I‘ve spent day 1 of #bookfitnesschallenge in Marmaris, Turkey. Meeting my 60000 weekly steps will be much more challenging when I‘m back at my desk in Week2!
I‘m reading Gone With The Wind (taking chunksters on holiday is obviously the way to go!) but this statue with a quote from a Turkish poet caught my eye while we were walking along the waterfront.
āMost animals are like people-
and like good people, too.
āCome" she said
"Stay" she said
"Smile" she said
"Die" she said
I came
I stayed
I smiled
I died
- "Veraā
The beeches deep in snow,
I walk the dark woods
In sorrow, sorrow.
Your hand, where is your hand?
- "In the Snowy Night Woodsā
Believe in seeds, earth, and the sea,
but in people above all.
Love clouds, machines, and books,
but people above all.
Grieve
for the withering branch,
the dying star,
and the hurt animal,
but feel for people above all.
Rejoice in all the earth's blessings-
darkness and light,
the four seasons,
but people above all.
- "Last Letter to my Sonā
I can't promise to be
calm, dignified,
and indifferent,
like a rock by the sea...
If my heart's going to break,
let it break from anger,
grief,
or joy.
- "To Lydia Ivannaā
Haven't you ever thought of living
unconsciously like bears, sniffing the earth,
close to pears and the mossy dark,
far from human voices and fire?
- "On Ä°brahim Balaban's Painting "Spring"ā
The worst
is when people - knowingly or not -
carry prison inside themselves.
- "9-10 P.M. Poemsā
To visit a museum is fine,
to be a museum piece is terrible!
- "Gioconda and Si-Ya-Uā
The most beautiful sea
hasn't been crossed yet.
The most beautiful child
hasn't grown up yet.
Our most beautiful days
we haven't seen yet.
And the most beautiful words I wanted to tell you
I haven't said yet.
pickI bought this expecting any general Hikmet collection to have what I'd assume to be his most recognisable poem in English translation, The Girl Child, which expectation was dashed as it's not included. However, the poems which are in here are marvelous and I have no regrets at all in having taken a chance on a poet I'd not otherwise encountered. I make only a half-hearted apology for being about to spam a shitload of Hikmet quotes!
Finally got (through the intro.) to the poetry! This is from āPart One: Excerpts from Gioconda‘s Diary.ā #poetrychallenge2018
I can‘t do the #24in48 Readathon this weekend because of some Monday school prep (the 100th day of school celebration!), and tomorrow is my husband‘s birthday (meaning I have to bake a cake and have primary responsibility for our son). But right now, I‘m enjoying the sunshine, ~50 degree weather, and introduction to my February choice for #poetrychallenge2018
I‘ve been waiting for you, my beauties! #longtermreserves #poetrychallenge2018 #turkey #readaroundtheworld
Poems of Nazim Hikmet | 
