Istanbul governor recites Nazım Hikmet poem in lyrical video

ISTANBUL

The orange tree in the background on Gov. Mutlu's right hand side is an important feature of the video.

Istanbulites may have become used to getting puffy red eyes from tear gas courtesy of the Turkish police, but they will now have to get used to the feel of shedding tears after watching Gov. Hüseyin Avni Mutlu’s new lyrical videos.

Known for his cryptic tweets and far-less cryptic police deployments, Mutlu published on June 3 a video in which he recites Nazım Hikmet’s “I love you” poem to mark Turkey’s most acclaimed poet’s anniversary of death.

Not only is Nazım considered one of the most talented writers of the country, but as a communist, he is also a symbol for the left, particularly the activists who are generally labelled by Mutlu and his cronies as “marginal.”

With a carefully chosen plaintive melody and an orange tree in the background, Mutlu explained his admiration for Nazım in a short introduction, before carrying on with the poem wearing a melancholic but solemn face.

“The most beautiful sea hasn’t been crossed yet.
The most beautiful child hasn’t grown up yet.
The most beautiful days we haven’t seen yet.
And the most beautiful words I wanted to tell you
I haven’t said yet…”



Mutlu's first lyrical discharge was a video with the same background of an orange tree in which he read a poem from Ahmed Arif.

Arguably his most famous tweet is one he posted in the midst of the Gezi protests that surprised even the less "marginal" ones. “Young people; I’ve heard that there is a peaceful morning in Gezi Park with birdsongs, smell of linden and bees bumbling; is it true? I’d like to be with you,” Mutlu had tweeted early June 9.