One day our fool Went out to catch a fish
Jumped into a boat
Daydreaming away
Cast his line into the water
The surprising thing is
He forgot to take bait and worms
Who has worries, who has a soul to be sad
He thought he could catch them like this
Only he himself was fooled
When the fish saw the bare hook
Would they stay?
No, they fled at once
Still our fellow dreams of catching them
He cast once, it didn't work
He said no fish remained
He pulled on the oars Tried his luck again
Much was the toil
None was the pleasure
The boat rental
Was a headache
He had promised, after all
Will he buy from the market now
Suddenly the line grew heavy
He hooked the float to his arm
Kept pulling the line
The fish fell for the trick
Fish that takes a baitless hook
You're more foolish than the fisherman
You should have watched out for yourself
I won't feel sorry for you
Because you met your match
Seçkin Gündüz, born in Istanbul, is a celebrated Turkish poet and writer with a career spanning decades. A graduate of Middle East Technical University with a master's degree in Mining Engineering, he has published numerous award-winning works, including poetry collections such as Intersection of Love (Sevgi Kavşağı) and The Acrobat (Cambaz), as well as short story collections like The Female Thug (Kadın Maganda) and The Bicycle (Bisiklet). His stories and poems, often reflecting the essence of everyday Turkish life, have been featured in international publications and exhibited in art galleries. With his unique voice and profound storytelling, Gündüz continues to leave an indelible mark on modern Turkish literature.
