Kul Nesîmî

Kul Nesîmî, or simply Nesîmî, was an Ottoman Alevi-Bektashi poet, who lived in the 17th century in Anatolia.

Very little is known about this poet except that certain political events found an expression in his poetry, such as Ottoman conquest of Baghdad in 1640. He wrote in the same tradition as such earlier poets as Nasimi, with whom he is frequently confused, as well as in the tradition of Khatai and Pir Sultan Abdal.

Turkish lyrics

English translation

Ben melâmet hırkasını kendim giydim eğnime (eynime) Âr u nâmus şişesini taşa çaldım kime ne Gâh çıkarım gökyüzüne seyrederim âlemi Gâh inerim yeryüzüne seyreder âlem beni Gâh giderim medreseye ders okurum Hak için Gâh giderim meyhaneye dem çekerim aşk için Sofular haram demişler aşkımın şarabına (Sofular haram demişler bu aşkın bâdesine) Ben doldurur ben içerim günah benim kime ne Sofular secde ederler meclisin mihrabına Benim ol dost eşiğidir secdegâhım kime ne Nesimî’ye sordular kim yarin ile hoş musun (Nesimî’ye sormuşlar yarin ile hoş musun) Hoş olam ya olmayayım ol yar benim kime ne (Hoş olayım olmayayım o yar benim kime ne)

I wore the cardigan of modesty on me Threw the bottle of rectitude on the ground, who cares Devotees says it's sinful It's sinful, the wine of my love It's me that pours and drinks the wine It's a sin of mine, who cares Sometimes I fly high above Watching the earth Sometimes I go down on earth The earth watches me Go ask Nesimi, Are you and your lover going along well? Whatever the answer is she's my lover, who cares

References

• Poetry by Kul Nesîmî
• Article in the newspaper Milliyet on Kul Nesîmî (Turkish)
• Ben Melamet Hırkasını - Alevi-Bektaşi Halk (Semah ve Deyish)

External links

• Works by or about Kul Nesîmî in libraries (WorldCat catalog)