by Yahya Kemal Beyatli
The days are brief, old folks of Kanlica
Remember all the autumns of the past.
Life is too short to love this district only . . .
I wish summers to last and days to be longer . . .
That rare drink quenched our thirst for years . . .
Ah! Life is too short for such a joy.
Death is our end, we're not afraid of it,
But it's hard to be away from the motherland.
Not to return from death's night to this shore
Is worse than death, this is the heart's desire.
Last updated September 17, 2015