Lavinia (Özdemir ASAF)
Original Version
Coordinator/ Human Translation
Machine Translation (Google Translate)
LAVİNİA
Sana gitme demeyeceğim.
Üşüyorsun ceketimi al.
Günün en güzel saatleri bunlar.
Yanımda kal.
Sana gitme demeyeceğim.
Gene de sen bilirsin.
Yalanlar istiyorsan yalanlar söyleyeyim,
İncinirsin.
Sana gitme demeyeceğim,
Ama gitme, Lavinia.
Adını gizleyeceğim
Sen de bilme, Lavinia.
LAVINIA
I won’t tell you to go.
You’re cold, take my jacket.
These are the most beautiful hours of the day.
Stay by my side.
I won’t tell you to go.
Still, you know.
If you want lies, I’ll tell you lies,
But you’ll get hurt.
I won’t tell you to go,
But don’t go, Lavinia.
I’ll keep your name hidden,
Don’t you know, Lavinia.
LAVINIA
I’m not going to tell you to go.
You’re cold, take my jacket.
These are the best hours of the day.
Stay with me.
I’m not going to tell you to go.
You know anyway.
If you want lies, I’ll tell lies
You will be hurt.
I won’t tell you to go
But don’t go, Lavinia.
I will hide your name
Don’t know either, Lavinia.
Critical Reading and Analysis: Çıraklı “A Modest Proposal for Critical Reading”
Özdemir Asaf (1923–1981) was a renowned Turkish poet known for his minimalist, introspective, and emotionally charged style. His work often explores themes of love, longing, and existential reflection, with a deep sensitivity to human relationships. "Lavinia" is one of his most famous poems, where Asaf contemplates unrequited love, emotional vulnerability, and the tension between desire and letting go. The name Lavinia itself evokes a sense of mystery, possibly referencing a figure from literature or simply an idealized, unreachable love.
The setting of the poem is intimate and emotional, occurring in a moment of contemplation between the speaker and Lavinia. The world created in the text is one of quiet intensity, where time seems to slow down during a meaningful interaction. The speaker is on the verge of saying goodbye, yet struggles to let go, balancing between honesty and protecting their own emotions. The setting evokes a delicate, personal encounter, with the speaker attempting to keep Lavinia close, even though the inevitability of her departure looms.
Modernist Turkish Poetry
• Equilibrium: The speaker reflects on the current, quiet beauty of the moment shared with Lavinia. • Disruption: The threat of Lavinia leaving introduces emotional conflict for the speaker. • Recognition: The speaker acknowledges their vulnerability and the possibility of losing Lavinia, understanding the emotional impact it will have. • Attempt to repair the damage: The speaker tries to keep Lavinia close by offering a coat, speaking gently, and even offering to tell lies to make her stay. • New equilibrium: The speaker ultimately accepts Lavinia’s departure, though they express a desire to hide her name and keep her in their heart forever.
• Neurosis: Hesitation, abruptness and unexpectedness bring about spontaneity to the experience; The character’s quest and journey of self-discovery shows that experience is a test for the governing ego, whether it can achieve an equilibrium between libidinal energy and societal norms. • Nature as Body: Nature and Body mirror back themselves, which indicates a romantic character with social alienation. The introvert character’s emotional state is represented through imagery, which suggests that emotions evoke vitality, a sign beyond the limits of language and norms. There is no neurotic evocation as the speaker relies on birth and rebirth.
• Equilibrium vs. Fragmentation • Spontaneity vs. Norms and Rules • Nature vs. Social Alienation
