Poem by Muhsine Arda
SOMEBODY
I am somebody who cannot remember
Who I used to beMaybe ten, maybe ten thousand years ago
When glaciers covered the earth
When the sole problem was survival
I was somebody or everybodyBeyond the concept, beyond the realization
I cannot remember, beyond my imaginationAt the time of transformation
From being to having, my cell or
Everybody’s cell caught a diseaseWhen children became
The child of a certain mother-father
When children were
The children of the tribe no longerOne bad seed, maybe too many bad seeds
Started the maladyThe living soul of mother earth
Missed the bliss of beingEvil started to win
Life forgot the meaning of happinessI am the restless soul with burning desire
To reveal that
Being
Not having
Is the real source of joy
Muhsine Arda is a Turkish poet, novelist and essayist. Following a lengthy teaching assignment at New York University, she returned to Bursa-Turkey in 1997. Muhsine’s work has been extensively published in Turkey, including six volumes of poetry, short stories, essays, and two novels. Many of her poems have been translated into other languages as well, and have appeared in international literary publications. A staunch advocate of Women’s Rights, her feminist viewpoint is reflected in much of her writing, which also addresses such “taboo” subjects as women’s sexuality, physical disability, and suicide. Muhsine ARDA’s books: Erkek Gibi Kadın- Poety, 1 October 1992 Marmara’dan Yükselen Dalgalar- Poetry, 2000 Aşkın En Güzel Yanı- Poetry, 2001 Yanlış Dokunmalar -Short Stories, 2003 İntihar Gözyaşları- Novel 2015-(Second &Third Edition 2019) Bakire Sevinci- Poetry, 1 October 2017 Dicem Tebüle-Essays, 2018 Serçe Yürek-Poetry, 2018 Beşibiryerde- Novel, 1 October 2020 Mırıldanmalar-Poetry, 1 October 2021 Participatitions: Fırçadan Kaleme-Paintings-Poetry-Translation by M.Arda Zaman Işıkları-Novel by Stefano Mazzoleni- Edited by M.Arda Life at Corona Times- Poetry/Essays- Edited by Dr.Shamenaz 2020 Feminist Voices II-Poetry- Edited by Dr. Shamenaz 2021 Golden Words Poetry Anthology-Edited by Dr. Shamenaz 2021 I Can’t Breathe-Antholgy-Edited by Christopher Okemva- June 2021
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