This is a Turkish poem by Hasan Hüseyin. I like the moves of asking for understanding instead of directing ill-will and reframing neutral attitudes as attitudes of compassion. Translation is by Claude.
«pir sultan dies and rises again»
look at the beauty of these young ones
their brows an epic
their eyes an epic
their hands drowned in blood
i'm not saying may you go blind
don't go blind then —
see me
we slept side by side on the rooftop
we were kind to the ox
in these mountains it was never sheep
it was ourselves we herded
did we ever scorn the ant
did we break the sparrow's wing
did we shoot the doe with a fawn at her side
so how could we bear to hurt a human being
were it not for you, what would killing be
what rotting in dungeons
what longing, what parting
what scarcity, what poverty
what cursing, what begging
what drifting around jobless and idle
day should make its peace with day
brother should stand beside brother
we should breathe each other in, we should talk
what is this living in fear
i'm not saying may you be damned
don't be damned then —
see me
we bled and turned to soil
we were raised and turned to flag
we were scattered and turned to leaf
and we came through to this day
we made the bread plentiful
we made the pain into honey
we made the razor bridge a road
and we came through to this day
sow us, we come back as harvest
grind us, we come back as flour
one goes, a thousand return
is shooting me deliverance
i'm not saying may you go blind
don't go blind then —
see me
Love this solidarity poem, thank you!