Paramparca [English translation]

I don't have a watch.

I'm not sure.

A little, a little,

A little wine before . . .

How can it be that seasons don't go by?

Days, lives roll by.

I'm like a suitcase lost at the airport,

Or even an empty swimming pool in the fall.

Is it a great character flaw to still want to be happy?

Whatever, I'm worn out.

Today is my birthday.

I'm drunk and in mourning,

On a stool in a bar.

I'm the same age my father was when he died.

Today is my birthday.

Words swell in my mouth.

All the lives I have known

Are in a thousand pieces.

I have no energy; I'm still wrapped around my telephone.1

As a last excuse,

All the women I've loved,

I've called them. I've left a message and hung up.

I'm one of those who can't manage to talk to whoever answers.

Today is my birthday.

I'm drunk and in mourning,

On a stool in a bar.

I'm the same age my father was when he died.

Today is my birthday.

Words swell in my mouth.

All the lives I have known

Are in a thousand pieces.

Today is my birthday.

I'm drunk and in mourning,

On a stool in a bar.

I'm the same age my father was when he died.

Today is my birthday.

Words swell in my mouth.

All the lives I have known

Are in a thousand pieces.

Are in a thousand pieces.

1. If you look at the French translation that I am working from, you will see that there is no punctuation there at all. So I'm adding it here. This particular passage could come out differently with different punctuation. I'm just making some choices but will gladly change this should the French version grow punctuation some day . . .

• Artist:Sezen Aksu