EROTICISM
Love is a cicada in my ear hole
-To be dressed doth a man wear
and a woman so to be bare-
Since they thusly desire
I see all women naked

In my perineum a new born kitten
keeps licking my manhood
My pulse is throbbing on my temple
Then a summer rain befalls
Not blood but a whitish dope
comes out of my schlong

Cicadas are still whizzing
They are just a little wet now


This is my attempt. As the other thread has gone out of control, I am starting a new one. I've found thehandsome's translation very good but there are many ways to translate a poem and when the poet is Yucel there are indeed many.

There is no shame in art. It is all about humans. Authors, storytellers and poets have a license to reflect human nature without any restrictions. They can narrate things with an omniscient point of view.

Although not a personal favourite; at least, this one makes me wonder about the inexplicable sexual thoughts that pass through people's minds. Are we all innocent? What is innocence in the first place?

Who said there is shame in art? Whoever said it, I disagree with her/him. True art supposedly is a reflection of the society, so it's ok to criticize what that art portrays, because we may want to criticize that society, don't you think?
When writing about sexuality, we know that most societies are patriarchal and in such societies men commonly exploit women sexually and eroticize mysogyny. You can say that writing a poem about sexual exploitation of women and mysogynistic sexuality is an expression of human desires, but that desire stems out of a very sick social structure, therefore, it must be criticized. I'm not saying that this guy is writing about sexual exploitation, just giving an example.

I agree...

Love is a cicada in my ear hole
-To be dressed doth a man wear
and a woman so to be bare-
Since they thusly desire
I see all women naked

{Love is a thrill, men get dressed just to be dressed but women (as he finds them so beautiful) were meant to get dressed to get naked. *1}

In my perineum a new born kitten
keeps licking my manhood
My pulse is throbbing on my temple
Then a summer rain befalls
Not blood but a whitish dope
comes out of my schlong

{In my humanself there is something that drives me; it keeps sending me impulses *2. I am so excited my pulse throbs on my temple. Then the moment of climax comes. Out of this strong emotion, no harm comes about but just this gift or reward.}

Cicadas are still whizzing
They are just a little wet now

{Love is still in the air but it has taken a new form.}



*1 In sex, there is desire and ambition and this ambition is directed to the other sex (-usually-) in other words if a woman were to write a poem she would use the same words for a man and everyone would congratulate her.
*2 Actually the cat is a symbol. It represents the sex drive or the hormones. There is no cat in other words.

Well that is quite right Geniuda. Nevertheless, we must give a little credit to translators too. They are the Don Quichots of literature. They are trying to achieve what seems to be inachievable. If it weren't through their efforts, cultures would not be able to interact with one another as much as they do now. For example, I don't understand Russian but I know who Pushkin is simply because I can access poetry translated from him.

Vineyards and Genuida here is a poem by Alexander Pushkin

I Loved You Once

I loved you once, nor can this heart be quiet;
For it would seem that love still lingers there;
But do not you be further troubled by it;
I would in no wise hurt you, oh, my dear.

I loved you without hope, a mute offender;
What jealous pangs, what shy despairs I knew!
A love as deep as this, as true, as tender,
God grant another may yet offer you.

I like your use of vocabulary Vineyards, it reminds me of the Romantics.

With regard to posting poems here. I think a person's reason for posting a poem can give meaning to it also. A reader may think they know the character of the person who posted it and make assumptions. Perhaps I am not expressing myself clearly. I will give an example, but , please Handsom, don't think I am criticising you, I'm not. I am saying as much about the reader (myself) as the poster.

Example:

The morning of the day Handsom posted this poem, I had read his post saying he was bored. When I read the poem he posted, my immediate reaction was . . . " this bored man wants to make mischief today ". The content of the poem did not offend me but his admission of boredom made me jump to the conclusion he was after a very mixed reaction. Sure enough, some members were bemused, some offended (for different reasons) and some enjoyed the ensuing literary discussion. I still think handsom was bored and wanted to cause some mischief but I also recognise that he has an appreciation for poetry that is not so shallow and a talent for translating.

I hope my point is clear.

Poetry, art, music they all illicit thought, they awaken our sub conscious. Often we want to know more about the creator of a work. This can help us to understand the poem more but actually, it doesn't matter because our own response to a work is just as valid, however complex or simplistic it may be. What we take from a poem may also depend on our mood when we read it. We may seek out certain poems, music, to compliment our mood.

These arts are not static, they are timeless, fluid, the creators often take years to craft a piece.

Even when 'complete' I would say a poem, a piece of music, a painting, a sculpture, is still a work in progress.

It's life begins when the creator presents it to the world.

Excellent response, PT!