Night Dawns Early In Jailhouse -- Akşam Erken İner Mahpushaneye (Ahmed Arif, 1927 - 1991)

Lyrics: Ahmed Arif (1927 - 1991). I have to repeat what I said about him in a previous post:

"... one of the greatest poets of Turkey, and definitely the greatest Kurdish master of Turkish language in poetry. Many of Arif's poems have been put to music by various musicians including Cem Karaca, Fikret Kizilok, Ahmet Kaya, and Zulfu Livaneli. For a fuller list, please see this Wikipedia page."

Music:

• Hüseyin Türkoğlu: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKDK62UcXjQ&list=PLEE03C20B2E20AC29. There is almost nothing about him on the Internet! Yet, I remember the music so vividly, even today. It takes me back, so many years ... Nostalgia firmly grabs me: I remember! ... I could only find a few references to his album "Yol Türküsü" which supposedly includes this piece. Back in seventies, we only had unmarked, pirated cassette tapes containing performances of "whomever" we were told. Thus, I am ashamed to confess that I don't remember his name. However, I remember the song. It is still the best music that fits the poem, which, by the way, is very difficult to put to music.
• Cem Karaca: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX8xlKwNk20. An intriguing attempt by the master. I cannot find a classification for it, but it contains winds of jazz, blues, soft rock, lounge music, Anatolian rock, and pop, of course.
• Sevinç Eratalay: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RBue8Z3PWQ. An interpretation by this ardent revolutionary singer. Beautiful voice.
• Fuat Saka: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AjnFesHVto. A nice composition by this master musician. This is probably the best in management of the irregular meter of the poem.
• Ahmed Arif: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUWuKjKj1i8. The poem from the poet himself.

As I did many years ago, I listened to the poem again, from the voice of its owner. And, what is here is my interpretation of what he tried to tell. He was jailed for two years and that was enough for him. It is easy to say "two years", it isn't easy to live them. In 1950s, it must have been a living hell .

One simply cannot comprehend how it must have been for others who were convicted for tens of years: without a guiding principle, without an understanding, without an imagination, ... Just fulfilling a destiny marred with hopelessness and worthlessness. This is the misery of humanity: have a taste of it!

Here is the original lyrics as I confirmed from the recorded voice of the poet:
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Akşam erken iner mahpusaneye.

Ejderha olsan kar etmez.

Ne kavgada ustalığın,

Ne de çatal yürek civan oluşun,

Kar etmez, inceden içine dolan,

Alıp götüren hasrete.

Akşam erken iner mahpusaneye.

İner, yedi kol demiri,

Yedi kapıya.

Birden, ağlamaklı olur bahçe.

Karşıda, duvar dibinde,

Üç dal gece sefası,

Üç kök hercai menekşe ...

Aynı korkunç sevdadadır,

Gökte bulut, dalda kaysı.

Başlar koymağa hapislik.

Karanlık can sıkıntısı ...

"Kürdün Gelini"ni söyler maltada biri.

Bense volta'dayım ranza dibinde.

Ve hep olmayacak şeyler kurarım,

Gülünç, acemi, çocuksu ...

Vurulsam kaybolsam derim,

Çırılçıplak, bir kavgada,

Erkekçe olsun isterim,

Dostluk da, düşmanlık da.

Hiçbiri olmaz halbuki,

Geçer süngüler namluya,

Başlar gece devriyesi jandarmaların.

Hırsla çakarım kibriti.

İlk nefeste yarılanır cıgaram.

Bir duman alirim dolu,

Bir duman, kendimi öldüresiye.

Biliyorum, "sen de mi?" diyeceksin,

Ama akşam erken iniyor mahpusaneye.

Ve dışarda delikanlı bir bahar,

Seviyorum seni,

Çıldırasıya.
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