Things that happen

By Gonca Ozmen
Translated by Alice Melike Ülgezer and Özlem Özmetin.

I learnt compassion from water

put my hand in it, the flowing liquid

touching whomever, going wherever

Do not pick me up

I like to fall apart

Everything that happens in the world looked at me

Things that happen,

so they are

the endless

things that happen

Water does not return the dead

The dead sleep - but not in their beds

Everything will be as it is, indeed it will

May I be at peace in my own garden,

make peace with history though three arms missing

Even so, discovery sometimes ends in defeat

But I dwelt in your voice, in the stillness of your meadow

You would have died there

and I would have washed your body here