Ozan Değilsin
You are not a poet.
Bir sosyal yaraya kalem oynatıp,
Anamazsan ey dost ozan değilsin.
If you can´t mention a social problem
by writing it, o friend, you are not a poet.
Yanlışı doğuran haksıza çatıp,
Kınamazsan ey dost ozan değilsin.
If you don´t condemn the unjust that gives birth to fault
by being up against it, o friend, you are not a poet.
Başparmağa geçen yüzüğün kaşı,
The collet of the ring which passes through the thumb.
Sistemin çarkında değirmen taşı,
The grindstone in the wheel of the system
Öğütüp giderken vay garip başı,
While it is grinding the poor head
Kanamazsan ey dost ozan değilsin.
If you don´t bleed,o friend, you are not a poet.
Sılayı gurbeti gezsen Fizan’ı,
If you wander home, foreign placeses and Fizan
Halkın dili olur halkın ozanı,
The poet of folk becomes the tongue of folk
Sevgiyle kaynatıp kara kazanı,
Sunamazsan ey dost ozan değilsin.
If you don´t offer the black caldron
by boiling it by love, o friend, you are not a poet.
Gelsen elli altmış doksan yaşına,
If you become fifty, sixty or ninety years old
Kor olup düşmezsen kara kışına,
If you don´t fall into your black winter by becoming a ember
Fakir sofrasında bulgur aşına,
Banamazsan ey dost ozan değilsin.
If you can´t dip into bulgur meal,
O friend, you are not a poet.
Dadaloğlu vardı ferman dinlemez,
There was Dadaloğlu who didn´t listen firman
Koç Köroğlu dersen boşa ünlemez,
If you mention Köroğlu he doesn´t call loudly in vain.
Eğer Pir Sultan’ca sazın inlemez,
If your saz doesn´t moan like Pir Sultan(´s)
Yanamazsan ey dost ozan değilsin.
If you can´t burn, o friend, you are not a poet.
Bir Karacaoğlan bir Yunus Emre,
A Karacaoğlan, a Yunus Emre
Ne sevdalar sığmış nice can ömre,
What loves, many souls have fitted into life
Vuslatî der güle düşerken cemre,
Konamazsan ey dost ozan değilsin.
Vuslati says if you can´t alight
While the live ember is falling to the rose, o friend, you are not a poet
Osman Öcal
My try. (corrections needed)
By saying "it is our duty", one can really mean it. And he can follow you for a life time to help you even if you don´t want.It is not impossible in Turkey.