Eating lentil soup ...

We have lentil soup in Osman Aydin's place - 

The Governor's car is parked outside - 

Ken recognises the number plate - 

A singer keens - 

Katie is drinking ayran - 

Osman's nephews check out their messages - 

Osman shakes our hands - 

He then greets the other customers - 

He looks as though he's taming lions Jane says - 

I can still feel the motion of the boat beneath my feet - 

I remember the pristine bays, the fish like jewels scattered in the water - 

20.53 

Tuesday 15 May 2018

Osman Aydin's Place 

Kizilyaka 

Reading my dad's Rubaiyat ...

I'm reading my dad's Rubaiyat - 

I can hear the waves breaking upon the stony shore - 

Behind the oleanders are the silent pines - 

A butterfly like a piece of rich brocade settles upon the deck - 

These verses, like the watch around my wrist, bring his memory close - 

We cast the same shadow upon the earth - 

When I look into a mirror I see his face - 

15.00

Sunday 13 May 2018 

Near Fethiye

Castaways ...

The dinghy took us to the empty shore - 

A carob tree cast a precious shadow - 

The blue sky held a burning sun - 

Firebreaks parted the tinder dry pines - 

It was as though we were castaways - 

We would climb a winding stair to look for a yellow ship - 

Resin would scent the air - 

We would hear the music of faraway pipes - 

We would greet our ghosts and feel their smoky hands in ours - 

09.40

12 May 2018

Kapikargin

Windsong ...

We heard windsong amongst the pines - 

We had climbed up from the bright bay - 

There were white flowers amongst the stones - 

Broken terraces pooled sunlight - 

Olive trees were a timeless green - 

I listened out for a shepherd's song - 

Any moment I might hear a golden voice - 

11.47

Friday 11 May 2018

A bright bay 

The shepherds' path ...

Red butterflies went before us - 

Holly Oaks shaded the shepherds' path - 

I rubbed wild thyme between my fingers - 

A tortoise slept near a shining tree - 

The rock we walked upon held fast the heat of a pagan sun - 

A bird sang amongst the pines - 

Far below us the turquoise sea lapped timeworn stone - 

White yachts sailed between the islands - 

11.58

Thursday 10 May 2018

A hilltop, high above Cleopatra's bath 

We sat in the timeless garden ...

We sat in the timeless garden - 

Birds sang amongst he olive trees - 

The three old women remembered nights journeying under the stars - 

The grandfather bought us tea in glasses shaped like teardrops - 

18.32

Wednesday 9 May 2018

Kaunos 

The ancient Greeks had no word for blue ...

Our boat is dancing on the wine dark sea - 

I hear the names from ancient songs - 

A dolphin swims before our prow - 

I see his bright mysterious eye - 

I catch just one glimpse of his silken coat - 

He's gone in an instant - 

Called back to the company of heroes - 

16.34

Tuesday 8 May 2018

Small bay with steep rocky sides, pine trees, impending thunder