keşke bir isviçre çakısı gibi
yanımızda taşıdığımız cennet ve cehennemleri
keşke atasözleri ve görsel efektler
sayesinde şefkate benzettiğimiz kötülüğümüzü
keşke güzel fikirleri saran ataleti
deterjanlı suya bastırarak
keşke iyi niyetimizi
çelik bir penseyle
keşke kadınlar gibi yalnız gecelerin de
vazgeçilmez tedirginliğini
keşke sırılsıklam aşklardan doğan
felaketleri mantık çerçevesinde
keşke sevişirken rastladığımız
pagan tapınakların yıkık duvarlarını
keşke köşesi kırılmış
ucuz bir hediye gibi çocukluğumuzu
keşke keşkelerin avuturken yarattığı
tahribatı somut örneklerle
keşke bütün hayatları
aynı anda
keşke büyük dertleri
büyük bir devrime ertelemeden
keşke bütün ölümleri
teker teker ve bizzat yaşayarak
keşke anlamsızlığın kendisini
bir tıraş bıçağıyla
keşke
*
If Only
If only: like a swiss army knife
the heaven and hell we carry with us
If only: thanks to proverbs and special effects
our malice that we liken to compassion
If only: the inertia besieging all good ideas
soaking it in detergent water
If only: our good intentions
with a pair of steel pliers
If only: like women the lonely nights too
their inescapable disquiet
If only: the disasters born of lovelorn hearts
in the neat framework of logic
If only: the ruined walls of pagan temples
we encounter while making love
If only: a cheap gift with nicked corners
our childhood
If only: the bruising consolation of if onlys
through concrete examples
If only: all the lives
at once
If only: the great troubles
without waiting for a great revolution
If only: all the deaths
experienced one by one and personally
If only: the absence of meaning itself
with a razor blade
If only
translated by Aron Aji
Efe Duyan
Keşke
About Efe Duyan
Efe Duyan (poet, architect, event curator) was born in Istanbul in 1981.
As an internationally recognized poet, he has been invited to numerous international events, including the Hurst Professorship at St. Louis University and IWP at Iowa University. His poems have been translated to over twenty five different languages. His poetry collections are Sıkça Sorulan Sorular (Frequently Asked Questions, 2016), Tek Şiirlik Aşklar (One Poem Stands, 2012) and Takas (Swap, 2006) and his debut novel is expected to be published next year.
As an advocate of freedom of expression and creative thinking, he has been an active cultural actor curating international events, workshops and conferences. He has co-created the Offline Istanbul Poetry Festival, Turkish American Poetry Days and Mosaics: Gaziantep International Poetry Festival.
He is currently teaching architecture Senior Lecturer at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in Istanbul and at RISEBA University. He has affiliated with several universities for research or guest lectures, such as Berlin Technical University, Ca' Foscari University, Minnesota University, Istanbul Technical University, Atalanta University, Iowa University, George Washington University, and Boston Massachusetts University.