As part of our partnership with Ilkyaz, here is a poem written by Turkish writer, Ahmet Ucar entitled Rapunzel Kissers Community
June 13, 2019This is published as part of our partnership with Ilkyaz
Born in November of 1989 in Isparta. Ahmet Ucar graduated university in 2013 and completed his masters degree in 2015 at Bilkent University Chemistry Department. He is continuing his PhD in Bioengineering at University of Edinburgh. His writings have so far been published at online and in print sources such as Notos, Kultur Mafyas?, De/Da. He keeps an amaterusih interest in photography and cinema.
May the world crumble upon me
Now that I’ve kissed Rapunzel.
“If the steel, armored wall has surrounded
The horizons of the western front…”
Was what Rapunzel said.
Her hair was nothing like my mother-tongue
“This hair can only be Swedish” I thought
And I had only heard of Sweden
From the chocolates my uncle brought.
The teacher used to hand out almond candy to Rapunzel
I would bang my head against the corner medicine cabinet,
Accidentally.
Everyone would look at me
Rapunzel’s hair down to her waist
Rifki would give crowns made of flowers to Rapunzel.
My arm would break
A camel coloured, wilted dress on your birthday
An ache speared in my tummy
Her mum kissing her on the day
They hand out the report cards.
She shows she doesn’t know how to kiss
By the fact that she is a mother.
Now that I’ve come to kiss
One of Günay Abla’s daughters, Rapunzel
Moments ago, in the flower brothel
Three times over
And accidentally,
Trails of moustache scuffing on Rapunzel’s cheeks.
Mine scarlet of five fingers
Worlds crumble upon me if you doubt it!
Translated with the author’s approval by Ege Dündar