It’s just gone 3 pm on my last – and very rainy - day here. A green sock and a black sock are drying-out on the radiator in my hotel room. The downpour is good: it has driven me from the Old City’s throbbing streets to write postcards instead.
And, it will help wash all the blood away.
“Hey, Lady!” a voice calls to me from twenty years ago. A handsome Turkish face thrust into my line of vision stops me in my tracks. One hand is pressed against his chest, where his heart should be. The other points accusingly at the pavement.
“But you will step on my heart?!” he asks, wide-eyed with horror. I bend down to examine it; it is still beating - thank goodness - and so, with great care, I step over it.
I was to discover that hearts here fall out a lot, especially into the paths of oncoming tourists. Little has changed in that respect: Istanbul’s cobbled streets are still strewn with bleeding Turkish hearts. Getting around can be quite tricky.
Love,
Michaela
A postcard from Istanbul
"Do not feel lonely, the entire universe is inside you" - Rumi
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Ros
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Made me smile 
Was that the right reaction? I'm not sure...
Ros
Was that the right reaction? I'm not sure...Watching too much Lewis; it's probably the wrong reaction...Mic wrote:And, it will help wash all the blood away.
Ros
Rosencrantz: What are you playing at? Guildenstern: Words. Words. They're all we have to go on.
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Antiphon - www.antiphon.org.uk
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Antiphon - www.antiphon.org.uk
It's a good reaction!
"Do not feel lonely, the entire universe is inside you" - Rumi
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delph_ambi
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That is superb.
Not a very helpful comment, I suppose, but just wanted to acknowledge this wonderful piece of writing.
Not a very helpful comment, I suppose, but just wanted to acknowledge this wonderful piece of writing.
Thank you Delph - I am much encouraged by your response!
Michaela
Michaela
"Do not feel lonely, the entire universe is inside you" - Rumi
Thanks John.
Michaela
Michaela
"Do not feel lonely, the entire universe is inside you" - Rumi
Hi Michaela,
I see this was posted years ago, but I just wanted to say I liked it. Until I got to the mention of the tourists, I saw a sympathetic description of a people that expose their emotions where they can be trampled, and it is the listener's or reader's job to watch their step not to abuse the liberty--loved this idea. But later I saw it as a description of a scheming people who will take extravagant measures to gain profit from tourists, which I think is what you intended. At any rate, I loved the analogy.
Is there some significance to the green and the black socks?
Thanks for posting this--so long ago!
Jackie
I see this was posted years ago, but I just wanted to say I liked it. Until I got to the mention of the tourists, I saw a sympathetic description of a people that expose their emotions where they can be trampled, and it is the listener's or reader's job to watch their step not to abuse the liberty--loved this idea. But later I saw it as a description of a scheming people who will take extravagant measures to gain profit from tourists, which I think is what you intended. At any rate, I loved the analogy.
Is there some significance to the green and the black socks?
Thanks for posting this--so long ago!
Jackie