Geology, the science of the earth,
elucidates the intricacies of
creation of continents and opening of oceans,
explores the complex framework
of the multilayered deep interior,
and unravels the enigmatic structure
of the mighty mountains,
deciphers from the fossils,
the evolutionary trends of life.
The arcane aspects of earth’s ancient architecture,
imprinted in the petrified rock strata,
enunciate the 4.5 billion year history of the planet.
My expertise as a geologist
lies in the study of rock structures,
that ascertain the deformation pattern,
consequential to the interplay of tectonic forces,
drifting the evolving continents,
forming the changing montage of mountain chains,
like the old Caledonia and the young Himalaya,
and creating earthquake-causing seismic faults,
like in the Saint Andreas and in the Anatolia.
A piece of rock is not just
a chunk of ordinary stale stone to me,
the lattice of the entwined minerals
enumerates the lyrical anecdote
of the eventful eons of the earth,
motivates me with poetic passion,
as I unfold the mysteries of the blue planet.
Geology, the science of the earth,
elucidates the intricacies of the creation
of the continents and the oceans,
explores the complex make-up
of the deep interior and the lofty mountains,
deciphers from the fossils,
the evolutionary trends of life.
All these aspects are imprinted
in the contents of the rocks,
enunciating the 4.5 billion year history of the earth.
As a professional geologist,
my expertise lies in the study of rock structures,
that ascertain the deformation pattern,
consequential to the interplay of tectonic forces,
forming the mountain chains,
Like the old Caledonia and the young Himalaya,
and creating earthquake-causing faults,
like in the Saint Andreas and in the Anatolia.
A piece of rock is not just
a chunk of ordinary stone to me,
it enumerates the fascinating anecdote
of the eventful eons of the earth,
and unfolds the mysteries of the blue planet.
______________
March 30, 2023
Let me be an old man in Anatolia
Resting on a white plastic chair,
Saintly in a white starched shirt
Drinking tea from a glass that has
Curves like a woman, watching
Children and traffic, nodding at the
Shadows, a friend of dust and
Thin Cats, weightless as a moth
On running water, silent with the
Grace of years, half asleep.
Anatolia is a cauldron of cultures from distant past
Many of them millenniums would last
As Gobekli Tepe its shadow will cast
It leads through gates to the past
The Hittites iron and chariot invented
Phrygians and Lydians great wealth accumulated
Greeks their first cities there created
And no one yet knows by who Gobekli Tepe was generated
Gobekli Tepe is filled with sculptures of animals of all surds
Those were placed there with inscriptions in ancient words
Before people had iron or even bronze swords
Was it a temple a market or twelve thousand year ago an observatory to distant worlds?
Yet Gobekli Tepe waits patiently
For the inscribed key
That would change or perhaps fulfill its destiny
From couple of ancient rocks to star like beauty
When out world majesty
Through and horizon energized by the key
By Gobekli Tepe will be granted nonlinearity
And I hope person with that key will be me
Your expectations are carved into my eyes...
Their shapes melt in my dreams
The face seen in your postcards
Is not that of your soul Istanbul...
Living apart does not change your seas
Your waiting landscapes offer themselves
Thoughts do not remain still
Istanbul rests its weight upon my loneliness...
White fish swim in your living past
Seagulls float in your memories
Obliterated friendships stay awake till dawn
Anatolia rises from your horizons Istanbul...
by Uzeyir Lokman CAYCI
Traduit par Yakup YURT en français
French free verse translated into English free verse
by F.J. Bergmann., 2002
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