As Cemal Süreya´s poems do not seem to have been translated into Dutch, I have started to translate his poems.

I am uncertain how strict I should stick to the text, though. An example:

"Afyon garindaki küçük kizi animsa, hani, trene binerken pabuclarini çikarmisti"

I translate this (and now I have to translate it back from Dutch to English) as: "Do you remember that little girl at the Afyon station who, honestly, took off her shoes when boarding the train".

Trouble is, taking off shoes does not mean anything to the Dutch reader. So should I translate it as "wiped her feet", which Dutch readers will understand, or would Süreya turn in his grave if I do that?

There are two main kind of equivalence in translation - formal and dynamic. The former is more literal while the latter is more preoccupied with translating ideas than words. Both kinds have their supporters. It´s up to you which method you chose