Donulmez Aksamin Ufkundayiz

By Bernard Robinson

The curtains open.

A great hush has fallen.

Eager expectations swell the stage,

Hands beckon, all to engage.

Choir and players in view from the dark,

Raise voices and music, up, to the soaring lark.

      Darbuka drums to base, 

      Kanun wires the veins,

      Violins rhyme in pace,

      Kemence bows and strains,

      Baglama strings its tones,

      Clarinet cuts and roams,

      Tef tinkles on its way,

      Finding Ud in this melody play.

      All for one and one for all,

      Working the lines, making the call.

The men and women in line and in black,

Together reply in pursuit of the track.

Beauty and the senses harmonize the whole,

Eyes focus inward, enclosed by the soul.

Voices united join at the hip 

And move with the music on this in and out trip.

The solo reminds us of what lies ahead,

An evening horizon with no return.

The curtains will fall,

Will fall for us all,

So pluck now this flower before its too late,

The rose and the tulip in love at the gate.

*

Bernard Robinson born Middlesbrough in the north east of England in 1944, making him easily the eldest participant in Spoken Word Istanbul.

Studied law in London, Amsterdam and Berkeley. Worked outside the UK in different forms of adult education, residential, in prison, in a Dutch University,

and including the creation of an International Education Centre called Orient Express. Married 35 years to Turkije resulting in 4 children and 3 grandchildren.

Poetry and painting keeping him occupied in his retirement. More stuff can be found on his Facebook/human atom.

Next: