Original Ottoman Turkish Text
Metre: Mefāʿilün mefāʿilün mefāʿilün mefāʿilün
Ṭutardı elde bir melek ẓarīf bir demet çiçek
Menekşe, gül, papatya, ful bahār-ı portaḳala dek
Gelüp ḫülāṣa bir yire miŝāl-i necm-i müştebek
Ṣarıldılar öpüşdiler yanaḳ yanaġa sürterek
Bir ittiḥād-ı mümtezic bir intiẓam-ı müşterek
Didi menekşe: Cümleyi yaratdı ḫāliḳuʾl-felek
Kimine virdi şanlı tāc kimine pāk bir etek
Ṣarı, beyāż, māvī, ḳızıl o penbe şu benek benek
Baña gelince: Ṣormayıñ elimde işte māmelek
Bir ince sāḳ u reng ü bū başım düşükce bir bebek
Ne kimseler eker beni ne bāġ-bān çeker emek
Żiyā beni çoḳ oḳşamaz nesīm öper ḫafīf pek
Serince ḳuytu yerleri sever mizāc-ı bī-nemek
Ḥazīn imiş ḳıyāfetim oraları neme gerek
Geliñ refīḳalar hele viriñ de şöyle el ele
Niŝār-ı iḫtişām idiñ ṣafā-yı ṣubḥ u şām idiñ
İrāḥe-i meşām idiñ yire göge selām idiñ
Gül açdı luṭfile dehen didi ey ehl-i encümen
Ne lāzım öyle ān u īn gül oldıġım bilir gören
Babam żiyā-yı āfitāb anam nihāl-i ḫār-zen
Şafaḳdan itdim iḳtibās bir allı pullı pīrehen
Ḳaṭīfe ṣanki yapraġım żiyālanır şiken şiken
Düşer yüzümde yaşmaġım güneş ṭulūʿ ideriken
Ṣalar ṭuyūr ḳahḳaha tebessüm eyleyince ben
Yegāne zīb-i gülşenim benimle gülşen oldı şen
Ḫulāŝa-i leṭāfetim bedīʿ-i ṣunʿ-ı zevālimen
Biraz da vaḥşi-sīretim egerçi ṣūretim ḥasen
Ṭamaʿ idüp de ḥüsnüme el atsalar ḫāżır diken
Güler melek vü dir ki: Gül. Alınmışım o ḫandeden
Benim bu gūne bu ḥüsnile ʿarūs cümle-i çemen
Biliñ ki ey şükūfeler yarın ne ben ḳalır ne sen
Gelin refīḳalar hele viriñ de şöyle el ele
Gülüñ geziñ ḫirām idin bahāra iḫtirām idiñ
Güzel güzel kelām idiñ güzellere selām idiñ
Miyāne girdi fil-bahār beyān itdi ibtidār
Ki āfitāba ʿāşıḳım nihān ḳalır mı ḥāl-i zār
Ṭabīʿatımda iʿtilā cibilletimde iştihār
Semāvīdir ki fıṭratım ʿurūca bir ṭarīḳ-ārām
Aġaçlar üzre ḳuş gibi yerimde eylemem ḳarār
Güneş içündür itdigim bu daldan ol dala güẕār
Żiyāyı cüst-ü-cūdayım idüp semāya müddetār
Baña anıñ ʿaṭāsıdır bu reng u bū, bu ḥoş-nigār
Semādan indi bir melek cihānı ḳıldı lemʿa-dār
Egildi ta zemīne dek vücūdum itdi der-kenār
Ṣarıldı öpdi ḳoḳladı o demde itdi istitār
Gözüm semāda ḳaldı ah görünse bir daha ne var
O günden iʿtibār ile cihānda buldum iʿtibār
Geçirmeyiñ bu fırṣatı açıñ dü-çeşm-i iʿtibār
Geliñ refīḳalar hele viriñ de şöyle el ele
Ṣafāyı iktisām idiñ ḥayātı ibtisām idiñ
Güzelce irtisām idiñ güzellere selām idiñ
Ser-i ʿimāme-dār ile ḫaṭīb-i ḫoş-beyān gibi
Papatya itdi mużmerin cemāʿat-ı ʿayān gibi
Didi beyāż giymişim naḥīf-i duḫterān gibi
Yeşil çemende parlarım semāda aḫterān gibi
Ṣıḳ otlara ṣıġınmışım nücūm-ı kehkeşān gibi
Kenārı süsli semşiyye elimde mehveşān gibi
Mesīrelerde ḫande ḫande nebāt gül-feşān gibi
Ṣaġa ṣola pür-iltifāt-ı ʿaşḳ-ı nev-nişān gibi
Ṣabā esince titrerim lebān-ı teb-çeşān gibi
Zavāllı bir şükūfeyim ecelle uġraşan gibi
Pek az devāma mālikim ṣafā-yı dem-keşān gibi
Düşünce ẓālim ellere esīr-i pest-şān gibi
Yolar beni benī-beşer per-i feşā-feşān gibi
Biter bu rütbe güft ü gū dem-i müşevveşān gibi
Gelin refīḳalar hele viriñ de şöyle el ele
Lisāna geldi portaḳal didi nedir bu ḳīl u ḳāl
Birazda diñleyiñ beni açıldı çünki ḥasb-i ḥāl
Delīl-i ʿiṣmet eylemiş beni cenāb-ı ẕü’l-celāl
Çiçeklerimse ḳar ṭopı yemişlerimse zer miŝāl
Çiçeklerimde yoḳ leke yemişlerimde reng-i ḫāl
Beneksiz olduġım içün ki bā-kemāl-i iḥtifāl
Beni baş üzre ṭutdılar ʿarāʾis-i ḫuceste-fāl
Bahār-ı pāk-i ṭıynetim şukūfe-i mülk-i ḫiṣāl
Semāda ḫalḳ olunmuşum açınca cebraʾīl bāl
Ṭokundı berk ü bādıma zemīne itdim intiḳāl
Cenānīdir ṭabīʿatım arar zemīn-i iʿtidāl
Mücānibim cenūbdan şimāle itmem iştimāl
Faḳat ey arḳadaşlarım yeter bu rütbe ḥasb-i ḥāl
Biraz da oynayıñ gülüñ ḥayāta gelmeden zevāl
Gelin refīḳalar hele viriñ de şöyle el ele
In English
1. An angel was holding in its hand a graceful bunch of flowers: violet, rose, daisy, mock orange, down to the orange blossom.
2. In the end they all gathered in one place like stars entwined; cheek rubbing against cheek, they embraced and kissed.
3. They became a blended union, a shared order. The violet said: "He who created the sphere created them all.
4. To some He gave a glorious crown, to some a spotless skirt; yellow, white, blue, red, that one pink, this one speckled.
5. As for me, do not ask; here is all I own: a slender stem, colour and scent, a baby with drooping head.
6. No one plants me, no gardener takes pains for me; light does not caress me much, the breeze kisses me very lightly.
7. My plain, unsalted temper loves cool, sheltered places; my dress is mournful, they say; what do I care for those places?"
8. "Come, friends, come now, join hands like this; scatter splendour, be the delight of morning and evening; give scent to the nostrils, greet earth and sky."
9. The rose graciously opened her mouth and said: "O company, what need of 'this' and 'that'; whoever sees me knows I am the rose.
10. My father is the light of the sun, my mother a thorny sapling; from the dawn I took a red, spangled shirt to wear.
11. My petals are like velvet, gleaming fold on fold; when the sun rises my veil falls from my face.
12. When I smile the birds burst into laughter; I am the one ornament of the rose garden, the rose garden grew merry with me.
13. I am the essence of grace, a wonder of creation; though my form is lovely, I am a little wild in nature too.
14. If they reach greedily for my beauty, the thorn is ready; the angel laughs and says: 'Laugh!' (Gül). I took my name from that laugh.
15. With such beauty of this kind I am the bride of the whole meadow; but know, O flowers, tomorrow neither I shall remain nor you."
16. "Come, friends, come now, join hands like this; laugh, stroll, walk gracefully, pay honour to spring; speak sweetly, greet the fair."
17. The mock orange stepped into the middle, took the first word and told: "I am in love with the sun; can my moaning state stay hidden?
18. In my nature there is loftiness, in my creation renown; my disposition is heavenly, it opens a road to ascent.
19. Like a bird upon the trees I do not stay in my place; my passing from this branch to that is for the sun.
20. Seeking and asking after the light I have stretched towards the sky; this colour, this scent, this lovely pattern are its gift to me.
21. An angel came down from the sky and made the world shine; it bent right down to the ground and embraced my being.
22. It hugged, kissed and smelled me, and in that moment hid itself; my eyes stayed on the sky; ah, what if it appeared once more.
23. From that day I have found esteem in the world; do not miss this chance, open your eyes to take heed."
24. "Come, friends, come now, join hands like this; share the delight, smile at life; take beautiful shape, greet the fair."
25. The daisy, like an eloquent preacher with a turbaned head, like a congregation of notables, spoke what was in her heart.
26. She said: "Like slender girls I am dressed in white; on the green meadow I shine like the stars in the sky.
27. I have taken refuge in the thick grass like the stars of the Milky Way; in my hand a parasol with a decorated edge, like moon-faced beauties.
28. In the pleasure grounds I laugh and laugh like plants scattering roses; I pay my compliments right and left like a love-struck youth.
29. When the morning breeze blows I tremble like fevered lips; I am a poor flower wrestling with death.
30. I last but a little, like the delight of one who draws a breath; falling into cruel hands I am like a captive brought low.
31. The son of Adam plucks me like scattered wings; all this talk ends like the breath of one in distress."
32. "Come, friends, come now, join hands like this." The orange found its tongue and said: "What is all this chatter? Listen to me a little too, for my heart has opened as well.
33. God, Lord of majesty, has made me the token of chastity; my flowers are snowballs, my fruits like gold.
34. There is no stain on my flowers, no spot on my fruits; because I am without a blemish, with great ceremony
35. Brides of happy omen have held me upon their heads; I am the spring of a pure nature, the flower of the land of virtues.
36. I was created in the sky when Gabriel spread his wings; at the touch of lightning and wind I moved down to earth.
37. My nature is of Paradise, it seeks a temperate land; I do not turn from the south to the north.
38. But, my friends, enough of this telling of our states; play and laugh a little before decline comes to life. Come, friends, come now, join hands like this."
Literary and Historical Commentary
The Talking Flowers
"Çiçek Demeti" (A Bunch of Flowers) is a long poem in which the flowers gathered in a bunch in an angel's hand describe themselves in turn. The violet, the rose, the mock orange, the daisy and the orange blossom take the floor; after each speech comes a refrain beginning "Geliñ refīḳalar hele viriñ de şöyle el ele", come, friends, join hands like this. This arrangement resembles a song for a school performance, in which children would recite in turn and repeat the refrain all together. There is no record that the poem was written for this purpose; but its language, its arrangement and its moral hint suit such a use.
Each flower's speech draws its own character. The violet is humble: no one plants it, no gardener takes pains for it, it loves cool shelters and is like a baby with drooping head. The rose is self-assured and a little proud; her father is the sun, her mother a thorny sapling, and the thorn is ready for whoever reaches for her beauty. She tells in the fourteenth couplet the origin of her name through a pun: the angel laughed and said to her "Gül!", laugh, and her name, gül (rose), was taken from that laugh. The mock orange is in love with the sun and tells of the moment an angel kissed and smelled it. The daisy is like slender girls dressed in white, like stars, like beauties carrying a parasol; the couplet saying that the son of Adam plucks it recalls the old game in which daisy petals are pulled off one by one.
The last to speak is the orange blossom, which says that with its whiteness it is the symbol of chastity, and that this is why brides wear it on their heads. The use of orange blossom in bridal crowns was a custom that spread from Europe to Ottoman cities as well in the nineteenth century. In the end the orange cuts short the telling of woes and calls on all to play and laugh before decline comes to life; together with the rose's words "tomorrow neither I shall remain nor you", this call also sounds the thought of transience beneath the poem's cheerful face.
Bibliography
- Havva Tok Yıldız, Merzifonlu İbrâhîm Cûdî Dîvânı (İnceleme-Metin-Sözlük) [1b-43a], Master's thesis, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun 2017, pp. 73-76 (poem no. 54; manuscript fol. 24a-25b). http://libra.omu.edu.tr/tezler/116853.pdf
Online sources
