Who Told You To Leave Your Country Poem by Ulas Basar Gezgin

He could not stand to leave his soil,
Or he could not stand to stand still.
One day, as if whispering to life gently,
He hung his last breath onto the clouds.

Ah lonely palm, desolate palm
Who told you to leave your country...

He was staying alone, desolate in the garden.
They brought some friends for him on upcoming days.
12 new palms. But he could not get along with them.
He missed his childhood and young age friends.

Ah lonely palm, desolate palm
Who told you to go far away and not return...

He chatted with the birds on gray cloudy days,
He had fun with the frogs, although he couldn't move.
He couldn't convince the ants in any way.
They bit him into bits and pieces, they dried him up.

Ah lonely palm, desolate palm,
Who told you to break off with your country...

They saw him only while watering him,
While watering him with hose, talking to him.
What they hoped for was maybe to alleviate his loneliness
Or maybe their own loneliness, who knows...

Ah lonely palm, desolate palm,
Who told you to become an ascetic...

Now he has been looking at the garden from the sky,
While he has been thinking about the days full of sorrow,
He comes up with an advice for those who plan to leave,
"Don't burn the bridges, the roots are in your own country" he says.

Ah lonely palm, desolate palm,
Who didn't tell you this before; you see you ruined your life...


August 5,2015
(*) Inspired by Afro-Cuban poet Nicolás Guillén (1902-1989) 's ‘Lonely Palm' and Quilapayun's song based on the poem, as well as the death of a palm tree in real life.