Small, shaky smiles
Folded clothes
With hope tucked inside
Each pocket
Between each layer
Placed gently in a suitcase
❀
I pull the trigger of the
Fuel dispenser
Filling my car with
Fears and the bravery
To overcome them (hopefully)
Piling the back seat with
Worn notebooks and unread novels
❀
Goodbyes to this wilted city come with
A bittersweet taste on my tongue
I hope I will soon only tie it
To the good things and not
The things that sent me away
Convincing myself I will one day
Only think of my family’s banter
My mother’s welcoming arms
My dog’s warm greetings and
Not my best friend’s ghost
That stood in every corner
Or the loneliness that clung to me
On every street I drove
❀
I drop painful moments
Long passed but still remembered
From the window as I go
Letting them dissolve in
Faraway pastures
❀
I press the ocean
Against my skin
Like a balm
❀
It is the first time
In so long that
The sky has not
Looked like a cage
❀
And this is my confession
I have no idea if I am running
Or healing or if there is even
A difference
❀
(I suppose I am about to find out)
❀❀❀❀❀
The Rest of the Series:
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Inshallah
Istanbul is a city bristling with life, a place where past and present, sacred and profane, intertwine under the watchful gaze of the Sultan Ahmet Mosque. As I explore this crossroads of cultures with Maya, my nine-year-old niece and the daughter of my late brother-in-law Frank, and my wife Nadia, Frank's sister, I find myself on a journey not just through Istanbul's history, but also into the depths of my own beliefs. Staying with Maya and her mother Elvan, my sister-in-law, I begin to see the city anew through their eyes, and to understand why James Baldwin said it "revived" him.
By Geoffrey Philp 2 days ago in Wander
Comments (8)
I suppose you are. Somehow though, I suspect there will be a few ghosts who tag along for the ride. Beautifully & powerfully expressed existential angst, Poppy.
Another gorgeous poem! I am so in love with how you create images. Amazing!
This is such a beautiful poem. A great mix of hope and sadness both coming at once.
I really like the hopeful tone of this excellent poem, Poppy. Since I adore the ocean, I’m with Dharrsheena on her favourite stanza!🩵 “ I press the ocean Against my skin Like a balm”🤩
"I press the ocean again my skin like a balm" Gosh I read that soooo many times! I loveeeeee your poem, especially that stanza
Outstanding. People tend to think of running as "away", but it can be "to". Who's to say that there isn't healing available in either version of running? I think there can be. I hope so. I'm in the process of finding out, too.
The stanza beginning with Goodbye to this wilted city stole my breath. The contrast between images was visceral. All the way through this poem reached out and brought me in. Amazing work Poppy
Running or healing or if there's a difference. I felt that so much.