The thousand minarets of Istanbul
Stand poised against the sky
Like pencils sketching the invisible lines
Of a nation with no boundaries.
A thousand fingers pointing proudly
Proclaiming a unity
Demanding that the West wait
Just a little longer.
A thousand coffee stained needles
Working the hair strewn carpets
With threads of red and worn gold
Into suns, and stars, and moons.
A thousand gilded spears
Brandished at the heavens
Upheld by hands clenched into fists
Pillars of unshakable faith.
A thousand minarets
A thousand endless hymns
Winding prayers and long lost dreams
Trail in the eastward wind.
9 comments:
This is great. Very good insights to a different culture.
"Pillars of unshakable faith"
I really like the line "A thousand coffee stained needles."
I hear your voice when I read this and it makes me miss you.
Very nice. Not usually a fan of descriptive poems, but this one is particularly nice.
Ah, Francis stole my comment. Well, my favorite lines, anyways. I also really like, "Winding prayers and long lost dreams/trail in the eastward wind."
It really tinges the whole poem with melancholy, reminder that while the minarets stand tall and proud, there're also parts of Islamic life in Istanbul that have been lost and forgotten.
I loved the first stanza. I looked at the picture and thought, "Hey, those look like pencils!" and then it was the first thing you wrote about. haha!
I like how the different interpretations of the towers say so much about the culture...very fascinating.
I agree with Andrea, I really like the continuity of the towers image. I love the line "Like pencils sketching the invisible lines" 'cause this is a really great picture and analogy, as well as "Winding prayers and long lost dreams/trail in the eastward wind"
Mike stole my comment.
And Andrea.
And Emlyn.
But.
I love how it flows tremendously well with the picture. It sounds like a great trip, full of wonder and symbolism, strange as that sounds.
'Demanding that the West wait
Just a little longer.'
Love that. Don't know why.
I've never been to Istanbul.
But I feel as though there is a thousand everythings...(?)
The way you describe it makes it sound so rich, golden and exotic. I love it. "Pillars of unshakable faith" is definitely one of my favourite lines.
I like ze included picture.
And I agree with Mike, I could hear your voice reading this poem...
Strange since the only other thing I've ever heard you read was Thanatos, the tale of the suicidal man.
There are many thousands of many things in Istanbul, it's a very intense place...to say the least...
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