BRIGHTENING GLANCE
TRAITOR
by Nazim Hikmet
(English translation by Cem Ryan and Hüda Cereb)
Nazim Hikmet (1902-1963) is widely considered to be Turkey’s greatest modern poet, and one of the greatest international poets of the 20th century. His writings remain enormously popular and relevant in today’s troubled Turkey. They serve as a source of enlightenment and intellectual energy for those battling against the religious fascism of the present Turkish government. The following poem, “Traitor,” is the first English translation of Nazım’s 1962 work, “Vatan Haini.” The piece encapsulates Hikmet’s lifelong revulsion of oppression, hypocrisy, and black-minded ignorance. It skewers American imperialism and those so-called Turkish “patriots” who collaborate to subvert Turkey’s secularity and independence. This subversion continues to this day, forty-seven years after Nazım wrote the poem. No further explanation is needed about why this poem stands today as a signature piece of Nazım Hikmet and his beloved, unfortunate country, Turkey
TRAITOR
“Nazim Hikmet is still continuing to be a traitor,
We are a half-colony of American imperialism, said Hikmet.
Nazim Hikmet is still continuing to be a traitor.”
This came out in one of the Ankara newspapers,
Over three columns, in a pitch-black screaming streamer.
In an Ankara newspaper, beside a photograph of Admiral Williamson,
smiling in 66 square centimeters, his mouth in his ears,
the American admiral.
America gave 120 million lira to our budget, 120 million lira.
“We are a half-colony of American imperialism, said Hikmet.
Nazim Hikmet is still continuing to be a traitor.”
Yes, I am a traitor, if you are a patriot, if you are a defender of our homeland,
I am a traitor to my homeland, I am a traitor to my country.
If patriotism is your farms,
if the valuables in your safes and your bank accounts is patriotism,
if patriotism is dying from hunger by the side of the road,
if patriotism is trembling in the cold like a cur and shivering from malaria in the summer,
if sucking our scarlet blood in your factories is patriotism,
if patriotism is the claws of your village lords,
if patriotism is the catechism, if patriotism is the police club,
if your allocations and your salaries are patriotism,
if patriotism is American bases, American bombs, and American missiles,
if patriotism is not escaping from our stinking black-minded ignorance,
then I am a traitor.
Write it over three columns, in a pitch-black screaming streamer,
Nazim Hikmet is continuing to be a traitor, STILL!
Nazim Hikmet, July 1962
(Translation: James Ryan and Hüda Cereb)
Original Turkish poetic structure below, followed by video.
VATAN HAİNİ
“Nâzim Hikmet vatan hainliğine devam ediyor hâlâ.
Amerikan emperyalizminin yari sömürgesiyiz, dedi Hikmet.
Nâzim Hikmet vatan hainliğine devam ediyor hâlâ.”
Bir Ankara gazetesinde çikti bunlar, üç sütun üstüne, kapkara haykiran puntolarla,
bir Ankara gazetesinde, fotografi yaninda Amiral Vilyamson’un
66 santimetre karede gülüyor, agzi kulaklarinda, Amerikan amirali
Amerika, bütçemize 120 milyon lira hibe etti, 120 milyon lira.
“Amerikan emperyalizminin yari sömurgesiyiz, dedi Hikmet
Nâzim Hikmet vatan hainliğine devam ediyor hâlâ.”
Evet, vatan hainliğine, siz vatanperverseniz, siz yurtseverseniz, ben yurt
hainiyim, ben vatan hainiyim.
Vatan ciftliklerinizse,
kasalarinizin ve çek defterlerinizin içindekilerse vatan,
vatan, sose boylarinda gebermekse açliktan,
vatan, soğukta it gibi titremek ve sitmadan kivranmaksa yazin,
fabrikalrinizda al kanimizi içmekse vatan,
vatan tirnaklariysa ağalarinizin,
vatan, mizrakli ilmühalse, vatan, polis copuysa,
ödeneklerinizse, maaslarinizsa vatan,
vatan, Amerikan üsleri, Amerikan bombasi, Amerikan donanmasi topuysa,
vatan, kurtulmamaksa kokmus karanliğimizdan,
ben vatan hainiyim.
Yazin üç sütun üstüne kapkara haykiran puntolarla:
Nâzim Hikmet vatan hainliğine devam ediyor hâlâ.
Nazim Hikmet (July 1962)
by Nazim Hikmet
(English translation by Cem Ryan and Hüda Cereb)
Nazim Hikmet (1902-1963) is widely considered to be Turkey’s greatest modern poet, and one of the greatest international poets of the 20th century. His writings remain enormously popular and relevant in today’s troubled Turkey. They serve as a source of enlightenment and intellectual energy for those battling against the religious fascism of the present Turkish government. The following poem, “Traitor,” is the first English translation of Nazım’s 1962 work, “Vatan Haini.” The piece encapsulates Hikmet’s lifelong revulsion of oppression, hypocrisy, and black-minded ignorance. It skewers American imperialism and those so-called Turkish “patriots” who collaborate to subvert Turkey’s secularity and independence. This subversion continues to this day, forty-seven years after Nazım wrote the poem. No further explanation is needed about why this poem stands today as a signature piece of Nazım Hikmet and his beloved, unfortunate country, Turkey
TRAITOR
“Nazim Hikmet is still continuing to be a traitor,
We are a half-colony of American imperialism, said Hikmet.
Nazim Hikmet is still continuing to be a traitor.”
This came out in one of the Ankara newspapers,
Over three columns, in a pitch-black screaming streamer.
In an Ankara newspaper, beside a photograph of Admiral Williamson,
smiling in 66 square centimeters, his mouth in his ears,
the American admiral.
America gave 120 million lira to our budget, 120 million lira.
“We are a half-colony of American imperialism, said Hikmet.
Nazim Hikmet is still continuing to be a traitor.”
Yes, I am a traitor, if you are a patriot, if you are a defender of our homeland,
I am a traitor to my homeland, I am a traitor to my country.
If patriotism is your farms,
if the valuables in your safes and your bank accounts is patriotism,
if patriotism is dying from hunger by the side of the road,
if patriotism is trembling in the cold like a cur and shivering from malaria in the summer,
if sucking our scarlet blood in your factories is patriotism,
if patriotism is the claws of your village lords,
if patriotism is the catechism, if patriotism is the police club,
if your allocations and your salaries are patriotism,
if patriotism is American bases, American bombs, and American missiles,
if patriotism is not escaping from our stinking black-minded ignorance,
then I am a traitor.
Write it over three columns, in a pitch-black screaming streamer,
Nazim Hikmet is continuing to be a traitor, STILL!
Nazim Hikmet, July 1962
(Translation: James Ryan and Hüda Cereb)
Original Turkish poetic structure below, followed by video.
VATAN HAİNİ
“Nâzim Hikmet vatan hainliğine devam ediyor hâlâ.
Amerikan emperyalizminin yari sömürgesiyiz, dedi Hikmet.
Nâzim Hikmet vatan hainliğine devam ediyor hâlâ.”
Bir Ankara gazetesinde çikti bunlar, üç sütun üstüne, kapkara haykiran puntolarla,
bir Ankara gazetesinde, fotografi yaninda Amiral Vilyamson’un
66 santimetre karede gülüyor, agzi kulaklarinda, Amerikan amirali
Amerika, bütçemize 120 milyon lira hibe etti, 120 milyon lira.
“Amerikan emperyalizminin yari sömurgesiyiz, dedi Hikmet
Nâzim Hikmet vatan hainliğine devam ediyor hâlâ.”
Evet, vatan hainliğine, siz vatanperverseniz, siz yurtseverseniz, ben yurt
hainiyim, ben vatan hainiyim.
Vatan ciftliklerinizse,
kasalarinizin ve çek defterlerinizin içindekilerse vatan,
vatan, sose boylarinda gebermekse açliktan,
vatan, soğukta it gibi titremek ve sitmadan kivranmaksa yazin,
fabrikalrinizda al kanimizi içmekse vatan,
vatan tirnaklariysa ağalarinizin,
vatan, mizrakli ilmühalse, vatan, polis copuysa,
ödeneklerinizse, maaslarinizsa vatan,
vatan, Amerikan üsleri, Amerikan bombasi, Amerikan donanmasi topuysa,
vatan, kurtulmamaksa kokmus karanliğimizdan,
ben vatan hainiyim.
Yazin üç sütun üstüne kapkara haykiran puntolarla:
Nâzim Hikmet vatan hainliğine devam ediyor hâlâ.
Nazim Hikmet (July 1962)