Tevfik Fikret

1867-1915 / Turkey

Haluk's Credo

There is a universal power, supreme and limitless
Holy and sublime, with all my heart, so
do I believe
The earth is my homeland, my nation all humankind;
A person becomes human only by knowing this, so
do I believe
We are Satan, and jinn, there's no devil, no angels
Human beings will turn this world into paradise, so
do I believe
The perfect is immanent in creation; in that perfection
By way of the Torah, of the Gospels, of the Koran
do I believe
The children of humanity are each other's siblings... a dream?

Then so be it, for in that dream, with all my heart and soul,
do I believe
No one eats human flesh; deep-down, in this solace
-Forgetting my ancient ancestors for a moment-
do I believe
Blood nourishes violence and violence blood; this enmity
Is a flame in the blood that blood never quenches, so
do I believe
Surely this graveyard-existence will be followed
By refulgent resurrection, with utter certainty, so
do I believe
Before the miracle of that great sorcerer, reason,
Superstition will sink frustrated, into the earth, so
do I believe
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