The Drop That Became the Sea: Lyric Poems

by Yunus Emre, Kabir Helminski, Refik Algan

     This collection of poems introduces a general readership to Yunus Emre (1240-1321), called the "greatest folk poet in Islam." An unlettered Turkish shepherd who sang mystical songs that are still popular today, he was the first in a great tradition of Turkish Sufi troubadours who celebrated the Divine Presence as the intimate Beloved and Friend. Yunus's verse conveys the spirit and philosophy of Islamic mysticism in simple, earthy language.

Genres: Poetry, Spirituality, Islam, Literature, Turkish

96 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1999

About the author

Yunus Emre (1238?–1320?) was a Turkish poet and Sufi mystic. He has exercised immense influence on Turkish literature, from his own day until the present. Because Yunus Emre is, after Ahmet Yesevi and Sultan Veled, one of the first known Turkish poets to have composed works in the spoken Turkish of his own age and region rather than in Persian or Arabic, his diction remains very close to the popular speech of his contemporaries in Central and Western Anatolia. This is also, it should be noted, the language of a number of anonymous folk-poets, folk-songs, fairy tales, riddles (tekerlemeler), and proverbs.

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sewaktu berkelana di Turki tahun lalu, seorang sahabat berpesan agar dicarikan buku puisi Yunus Emre. Saya harus berterima kasih kepada sahabat ini, yang banyak melorongkan saya kepada bahan bacaan yang bagus, dan memperkenalkan saya kepada penyair-penyair hebat dalam tradisi kesusasteraan dan persuratan Islam. Justeru, di kedai buku Robinson Cruso 389 di Istiklal Caddesi, Istanbul, saya meminta dua buah buku puisi ini; sebuah untuk bacaan, simpanan dan koleksi sendiri.

Ternyata himpunan puisi-puisi sufi Yunus Emre ini tidak akan mampu diselami, difahami dan dirasai hanya dengan sekali baca, terutamanya apakala hati yang menelitinya masih kelam, kusam dan tidak tenang.

Semoga suatu hari nanti, saya akan tiba kepada makna bait-bait puisi ini, dan makna bait-bait puisi berkenaan juga akan tiba pada saya. Inshaallah.

[Ivan Granger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book by accident. I had read a single poem by Yunus Emre and, transfixed, I blindly ordered this book of translations by Helminski and Algan. This “sea” is beautiful and deep. His poetry expresses a deep personal mysticism and humanism and love for God. If you like Rumi, do yourself a favor and read this too.

[Hala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful sufi poetry by Yunus Emre nicely translate in a poetic way, I loved it but in few poems some sentences didn’t make sense probably because It lost its charm with translation but overall Its really good and I wish they would translate more of his work! Recommended

[Misbah]

Hello I like your poem. This one: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/1009...

I received a DMCA notice from your side. Saying that I have stolen your work. I am sorry but you are mistaken. I never knew it was a line from any poem. I used that lines as Yunus Emre (the Persian poet) quote as I took it from a quotes website. Here's the link to that website. Which says it's a quote by Yunus Emre:

https://minimalistquotes.com/yunus-em...

I think you must file a DMCA. For your satisfaction I want to inform you that I have removed those lines. So no need to be worried. I know the pain when someone copies your work. It has happened to me many times as well. I thought I should redirect you to the correct direction, where it had been posted before and from where I have taken it. Thanks a lot! I hope that helps.

Kind regards
Misbah

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful poetry that I am sure would be so much more meaningful if it were not read in translation.

[Cal Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoying rereading

[Sandy Singh]

<3

Read while in Istanbul. Worth it.