To Die In Books

To Die in Books

His name, last name
Open parenthesis
His year of birth, dash, his year of death, the end.
close parenthesis.

Now he's a name in books, surname
Within parenthesis his year of birth and death
Down at the bottom of the page, or just a little on
His works, when they were printed.
A list, short one or long.
The names of books. Like birds in agony of death within your hand.

In the parentheses, a dash.
All that he was is there.
His hopes, his fears, his teas, his joys.
All that he was is there.
Now he remains inside these books
A prisoner in that dash.
Does he still live? He can't fight back.
You can kill him,  just there.

Behçet Necatigil (1916-1979)

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