they don’t let us sing our folk songs Robeson
My pearly teeth African friend
My eagle winged canary
They do not let us sing our folk songs
they are afraid Robeson
afraid of dawn
of seeing, of hearing, and of touching
of crying as if having shower barebody under the rain
they are afraid of laughing as if biting a tight(hard) quince
they are afraid of loving, like our Ferhad
(you might have a Ferhad Robeson, What’s his name?)
they are afraid of seed and soil
of running water and of remembering
a friendly hand that asks for neither discount, nor commision or credit
has never settled into their palms as if a -free and easy- (hot) bird
they are afraid of hope Robeson, of hope, hope
they are afraid my eagle winged canary
Nazım Hikmet Ran
1948
Çeviri: Evin Okçuoğlu
