9/29/2007

Grand Rue de Pera photos - Istiklal Caddesi,Beyoglu fotograflari




NECİP FAZIL KISAKÜREK-1905-1983

MY DEAR ISTANBUL

They have melted my soul and frozen it in a mould;

They have named it Istanbul, and put it on earth.

There’s something smoking inside me; air, colour, grace, and climate;

That’s my beloved who came from beyond time and place.

Its flowers are golden stars, its water is sweet;

The moon and the sun have always been Istanbullian.

The sea and the earth have reached their union in her

And the dreams have turned to reality in her.

Istanbul is my life;

my motherland…

Istanbul,

Istanbul…

History has eyes, the riddles on ancient walls;

Cypresses, cypresses are of fine stature, they’re the curtains

Of two worlds…

A steed rears up on the clouds;

Diamond domes, perhaps there are billions of steeds…

The minarets are index fingers pointing to the sky.

In every embroidery a meaning: we must die.

Death is more alive than life mercy is greater than sin;

When Beyoğlu is drowing in worldly pleasures,

Karcaahmet weeps…

Seek the meaning, find it!

Find it in Istanbul!

Istanbul,

Istanbul…

The Bosphorus, the silver brazier of the Bosphorus, boils the coolness;

The depths of heaven on earth are in Çamlıca.

Playful waters are the guests in the basement of the sea-side house;

A photo of the sad face of a former diplomat hangs on the wall.

Every evening flames on the windows in Üsküdar,

A haunded house, big as the city…

A song from the Ud or the Tanbour?

It sings “Katibim” behind the bay-windows…

Its women are like sharp knives,

Warm like fresh blood,

Istanbul,

Istanbul…

Time on the seven hills embroiders

Seven colours, seven voices, endless manifestation…!

Eyüp is an orphan, Kadiköy is dressed up, Moda is haughty,

Wind in the Island plays tricks with the girls.

Each dawn, the arrows fly from their bows.

Cries come from Topkapi Palace still.

The mothers are the best of sweethearts, Istanbul is the best of places;

Never mind the cheerful crowd, those who cry are happier.

It night smells hyacinth,

Its Turkish the nightingale’s voice.

Istanbul,

Istanbul…


9/27/2007

~Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, 1762

"You are worried about seeing him spend his early years in doing nothing. What! Is it nothing to be happy? Nothing to skip, play, and run around all day long? Never in his life will he be so busy again. "

9/26/2007

Istanbul


İLHAN GEÇER –1917

LONGING FOR THE SEA

Your soft coolness is in my hand,

the time is in bluish memories.

Your wind is all over blue

and blows through my evenings.

In open sea the sail is homesick,

foaming sea-gulls are one my horizon

My looks desire salt

and greet bright seasons.

I wish I was in a sea city,

I wish my feet to touch sea-weed,

I wish my song to be sung

by rough waters.

I wish the fishes to swim by my shores,

tiny and handsome fishes.

I wish they’d wave good-bye,

My dear Istanbul.





9/25/2007

Rüzgar Gülü





Rüzgar Gülü

Önümden çekilirsen İstanbul görünecek
Nerede olduğumu bileceğim
Sisler utanacak eğilecek
Ağzının ucundan öpeceğim
Saçına kalbimi takacağım
Avcunda bir şiir büyüyecek
Nerede olduğumu bileceğim

Bu çıplak geceler yok mu
Bu plak böyle ağlamıyor mu
Camları kırmak işten değil
Delirecek miyim neyim
Kirpiklerimden mısra dökülüyor
Kenya'da simsiyah yalnızım
Yoksul bir şilepte gemiciyim
Malezya'da yük bekliyorum
Önümden çekilirsen İstanbul görünecek
Nerede olduğumu bileceğim

Gözlerini söndürme muhtacım
Ben senin aydınlığına muhtacım
Yepyeni bir ilkbahar harcayıp
Bir yaz boğup bir sonbahar harcayıp
Rüzgar gülünü arayacağım Oran'da Pernanbouc'ta Tombuktu'da
Vinçler yine akşamları indirecekler
Yine karanlığa bulaşacağım
Gözlerin rüzgarda savrulacak

İkimiz iki sap buğday olsak
Sen benim olsan, ben senin olsam
Bir gece vakti aklına gelsem
Uykunu tutsam bırakmasam
Seni kucaklasam, kucaklasam
Birbirimizin kalbini dinlesek
Dünyanın kalbini dinlesek
Büyük ateşler yaksalar
İki güvercin uçursalar
Nerede olduğumuzu bilsek

Attila İlhan

9/21/2007

From Rumi..

Come, come, whoever you are.
Wonderer, worshipper, lover of leaving.
It doesn't matter.
Ours is not a caravan of despair.
Come, even if you have broken your vow
a thousand times.
Come, yet again, come, come
.


Mevlana Jalal-e-Din Mevlavi Rumi


Gel ne olursan ol, gel
İster tanrı tanımaz,
ister ateşe tapar,
İster bin kez tövbeni bozmuş ol
Bizim dergahımız umutsuzluk dergahı değil,
Gel ne olursan ol, gel
Mevlana Celaleddin
Rumi


9/19/2007

The Blue Mosque's photos - Sultanahmet Cami'sinin fotograflari


CAHİT IRGAT –1916-1971

ISTANBUL

Don’t ask what’s in Istanbul,

What’s in Istanbul?

There’s Istanbul in Istanbul.





FROM ANOTHER HILL

I looked at you from another hill dear Istanbul!

I know you like back of my hand, and love you dearly.

Come, come and sit on my heart's throne as long as I live

Just to love a distict of yours is worth a whole life.

There are many flourishing cities in the world.

But you're the only one who creates enchanting beauty.

I say, he who has lived happily, in the longest dream,

Is He who spent his life in you died in you, and was buried in you.



The Blue Mosque's photos - Sultanahmet Cami'sinin fotograflari





MUSTAFA NECATİ KARAER – 1929-

ISTANBUL

Perhaps the water of the Bosphorus has changed;

I’ve found you on this Istanbul morning.

I don’t know how to say it-

When I come to Istanbul, I become Istanbul.

Your hands are in Bebek, your face is in Küçüksu,

You’re wearing a sea-blue blouse;

Like a poplar tree long and slender,

I’ve found you on this Istanbul morning.

A good-morning fell on the windows

Near the houses streets will awaken soon.

Yesterday, today, and tomorrow are in one line.

I’ve found you on this Istanbul morning.

Clouds take me to Eyüp,

Perhaps they know something.

Beyoglu is my wine, my bread is Üsküdar,

When I came to Istanbul, I became Istanbul

I’m wet, I've come from far away,

My business is to love, not to write poetry;

Please don’t disturb my dreams,

I’ve found you on this Istanbul morning

When I came to Istanbul, I became Istanbul.





The Hagia Sophia's photos - Ayasofya fotograflari





NECAT ÇAVUŞ 1959

THE MONUMENTAL KISS

Mimar Sinan seized the loveliest parts of Constantinople

And kissed her over and created Istanbul.

Perhaps in Shehzadebashi or Suleymaniye

One kiss become a poplar tree in the wind,

One, alchemy against the ages,

One, music’s blossoming rose,

One, a sound in the sea

In Üsküdar or Şemsipasha

Dear God! What a kiss it was, I don’t

Think anyone ever gave Istanbul such a kiss!


9/07/2007

Istanbul


9/04/2007

I'm back! - Dondum ben!



Insanoglu kus misali...


Hello all,


After 2 weeks of travelling, I'm back to New York. Well it was not really "travelling" as I was in and out of the hospital most of the time. First a visit to my dentist's office ended with an unexpected surgery then surgery ended with an ear infection (which means sleepless nights on my end) but luckily I had my family to take care of me. I was dreaming of having home cooked meal for a long time but due to the surgery I only drank milk and ate lots of yogurt and luckily I was also asked to eat lots and lots of ice cream to stop the bleeding.


Oh well, in a way I am glad, the surgery happened in Turkey cause who would take me to the hospital every day , in New York? As they say, "There is no place like home" right?


I will be back with photos, soon. Stay tuned!


Cheers,


New York Muhtari



Selamlar,


2 haftalik aradan sonra tekrar New York'a dondum.Aslinda seyahat olarak planlanan ama hastahane ziyaretleri sonucu ameliyatla sonuclanan, sonrasinda da kulak iltihabi nedeni ile uykusuz gecelere sebep olan agrilar, ilaclar ve gozyaslari ile dolu gecen iki hafta... Allah'tan ailem yanimda idi, onlar olmasaydi ne yapardim bilmiyorum. Annemin ev yemekleri yerine, bol bol sut icip, ayranli corba yapip, dondurma yememe sebep olan ameliyat, dun havaalanina gelmeden alinan dikisler ile neticelendi diyelim ama agrilara ve ilaclara devam. 3 ay sut ve yogurt ile ile beslenelim bakalim, neler olacak?


Islerimi ve okulumu yoluna koyduktan sonra, bir suru fotograf ile donecegim.


Saygilar efendim,


New York Muhtari



9/03/2007

My new blog for free events in New York.
Ucretsiz aktiviteleri iceren yeni blogum.
Free Events in New York