Green Headed Duck, Yeşil Başlı Gövel Ördek - Karacoğlan (17 c.)

The following is my attempt at translating a beautiful poem by Karacoglan. The picture is from a presentation I had prepared. Namik Ciblak, Kuwait, May 2013.

Here is the music from:

• Kazim Birlik: www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgGcFbQKPYc
• Erol Parlak: www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7wOwQHvLMs
• Zara: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqHupdDibIg
• and, humbly, from me: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nqX1FQlpWk

This piece is probably from south central Anatolia region (around the district of Adana, Turkey). It is attributed to the legendary poet of 17th century Anatolia, known as Karacoğlan (Karacaoğlan, tr. Blackish or Dark Boy). The music is composed by Kazim Birlik of Mersin, Turkey.



KARACOGLAN: The illustration in the picture on the left had long been used as a common depiction of the poet. Such figures in folk literature of Anatolia are usually known only from indirect references to them or via oral traditions. Thus, their biography, usually very sketchy, is mostly based on the work that is attributed to them. It is no different in Karacoglan's case. Details of his life are usually deduced from what he mentions about places, peoples, happenings, and times. A very short and unverified article about Karacoglan can be found on Wikipedia, both in English and Turkish versions. As with many folk poets of Anatolia, the works of Karacoglan could actually be those of more than one person. In any case, Karacoglan should be considered as representing a collective personality.

Below is the part of the original Turkish poem that is translated, in the form that was set to music by Birlik.
======================
Yeşil başlı gövel ördek
Uçar gider göle karşı
Eğricesin tel tel etmiş
Döker gider yare karşı

Telli turnam sökün gelir
İnci mercan yükün gelir
Elvan elvan kokun gelir
Yar oturmuş yele karşı

Şahinim var bazlarım var
Tel alışkın sazlarım var
Yare gizli sözlerim var
Diyemiyom ele karşı
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Translation Notes:

1. I tried to be as literal as possible. In my opinion, the translation still preserves the feeling and meaning of the original.
2. There is no consensus on the exact meaning of the word "gövel". Some claim it to be a color either green or bluish-green. I used the latter, though I do not agree completely. I can't see why Karacoglan would repeat the color in the same line twice, or mention two colors. I had lived in the region where Karacoglan was supposed to have lived. In rural areas of the region they use the word "göğ", which normally refers literally to "sky', to also refer to unripened fruits, which are usually greenish. I think, this  is what the first suggested meaning is based on. However, it is also possible that Karacoglan simply meant the literal meaning. It is quite fitting since in many poems, as also in this one, the birds are usually depicted in flight, and "gövel" may mean "in sky" (in flight). In modern Turkish language  "gök" corresponds to "sky". In turn, "göksel" is used to refer to anything that relates to sky. Here, the suffix -sel (-el) is used to effect that. For example, whereas "ev" means house or residence, "evsel" means residential. I should also mention that, in the evolution of Turkish language, the sound "ğ" (a soft, almost silent, and throaty version of "g") is sometimes modified into a "v" sound, or even lost. Nevertheless, in contradiction to this, in some regions, the sounds "g" and "k" are sometimes sounded with a "ğ". Such dynamics are quite common in Turkish language. Anyway, to make a long story short, in my opinion, the term "gövel" may have descended from "göksel" or "göğsel", via "göğel".
3. I intentionally used the word "toward" even when it wasn't the best choice, especially in the last quatrain. The reason is that the poet repeatedly uses the word "karşı" as a recurring ending or, better, as a strong punctuation element. This word gives the poem a quite distinctive rhythm. In some references, the poem is even simply given the title of "Karşı". Thus, I simply couldn't let it go.