I looked at you with 6 million eyes
I looked at you from the bottom
And on top of the world
You were absent


You were neither at east nor at west
You were not present neither at death or life
I’ve looked at you
From the inside and outside
You were absent


I drew zigzags and straight lines
I went up and down
I lied and told the truth
I’m not at the reality or at solace
You have neither appeared slightly or became clear

And you were not written anywhere
Neither was spoken in any language
I had hired many detectives for many fantasies
I had also made others look for you
I’ve opened the top of the day light and
Emptied the night
You were absent

Or else you never existed
I’ve abandoned hope
I’ve thought negative
I looked inside my mind and saw logic
I was thinking
In that case you do exist

Where were you?
Whereabouts were you?
Was you in this world/
Life or death/
Written or a voice/
Everything/
Was you the way I know on the four sides?
Were you only my fantasy?
Gosh! Where were you?
I was thinking in that case you do exist
I was thinking I do exist
I had never thought of looking
Could it be that you was I?..




Poem by: Cengiz Orhan - Istanbul
Translation by: Gunsel Djemal – London