The Bosphorus Belle

March 31, 1908 The expeditionary army Has reached the suburbs Bullets whistle As they comb the latticed windows The reserves pile arms As thousands of country bumpkins Howl, ‘We want the Sheriat!’

We celebrated the Revolution In the desert I on my pony Behind my father’s horse

Bingazi was a ribbon of desert lilies With its swarthy Berbers Its gnarled date-trees Its kohl-dyed eyes

One morning what do we see Under our noses Italian destroyers point their guns Welcome

Tripolitanian War!

Heads are flying in the Balkans It’s a rout, rotting buffaloes for food Macedonia is a barrel of gunpowder Rumelia a heart-rending tale

The Goeben and Breslau take shelter with us Odessa is bombarded What’s that song? ‘Inside Gallipoli They have shot me dead.’

Translated by Nermin Menemencioğlu