Alive

* Drawings made by the author himself

Hi bianet,

Once upon a time, in 2010, a guy named Zeki Leon A. K. was born. I have a grandmother, I call her Nene*.

She likes to write. Now, I am big, going to fourth grade and I have been inspired by my grandmother. So that is why I am writing this to you.

My Nene wrote poems and other things that she called short stories. She read some of the poems to me; although I have not understood anything honestly, because they are written in Turkish.

Although she read clearly and slowly to me and I listened carefully so I provided only a few words that I have learned.

Because I usually speak Swedish. It is a bit complicated, though; because my mother tongue should be Spanish as my mother's mother taught my mother Spanish when she was little.

Yes, Yes! This is a different story: But, at least, my Nene read in a special way as you do when reading poems and poetry. She forced me to read one of the poems in Turkish, without me understanding it myself.

I promise! It sounded pretty weird in my ears, just because I did not understand. But my Nene, she sat next to me and tanned all the time (I could not keep up and tanned myself). She laughed and laughed and thought it was so funny when I read her poems.

She even recorded (she always does when I am with her.) But she also said that she was proud of me because I was brave and good at reading in a language foreign to me.

After this day, I decided to become a writer. Actually, I like to write and draw for a long time. My drawings usually consist of different characters that I already know from games and movies; but I also invent my own characters. And those who have seen my drawings usually like them.

I have been drawing since I was only two or three years old. I also like to colour my drawings.

So, I am sending you my very first poem so you can publish. Maybe other children and grandparents will also be inspired.

In any case, I hope so. I like the English language the most, so I write in English.

So, now I hope you like my poem and we may see each other again!

Bye bye!

Alive

Today is the day
To finish my homework
But instead I am feeling alive somehow
My mom saying: be free, do not work hard, Jasmin
It's okay to be free sometimes
I just want to be free

by Zeki Leon A.K.

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Yaşamak

Bu gün o gündür
Ödevimi bitirmem gerek
Ama ben ödev yerine hayatta olduğumu hissediyorum
Annem diyor ki: özgür ol, çok çalışma, Jasmin
Özgür olmak iyidir bazen
İstedigim sadece özgür olmak

Translation by Nene

(ZL/SD)

* Nene: Colloquial form of grandmother in Turkish