Gulf Turkish Holiday Heritage
“To return at last from Turkey
with my memories safely stored
between thin clear plastic pages.”
This is all I save from Turkey
where youth beauty are service bled
lifeblood devalues faster than wages.
Its January 1991 Saddam Hussein
is finally getting his ass kicked; during
the war I remained in Istanbul but
a holiday toward the scud threatened
border was too cheap to refuse; strange
watching fearful flee direction opposite
alive adrenaline rush alive dead chickens
would give warning gas was about to;
claim take our civilian collateral damage
lives; but as written record reads scuds
were never fired into National Turkish Airspace? ;
and Andrew died of virus lung infection
a few years later caught pumping gas
at a London petrol station during cold winter;
weather we had but in brief in Istanbul.
Copyright © Terence George Craddock
Quotation from the poem ‘Turkish Heritage’.
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Related quotes
Turkish Heritage Departing
To return at last from Turkey
with my memories safely stored
between thin clear plastic pages.
This is all I want from Turkey
where youth and beauty are bled
lifeblood devalues faster than wages.
This is all I take from Turkey
where youth and beauty were bet
and currency falls faster than wages.
To return at last from Turkey.
It is 1991 the Gulf War is done.
Oil oils profit wars under desert sun.
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Surgical Separation
Return
at abrogated last
left
twilight trophy Turkey
meagre memories
safely stored
between thin
protective plastic pages.
All permissible
total retrievable
removable
taken
from repudiated
heart zone
rendezvous
timed out Turkey.
Where
yearning youth
aspirations
are beauty
bled
broken
bound
abandoned.
Disseminate
upon Globe
shake shellshot shoulders
soul severed
suffer amputated liaision.
Filigree fragile finesse strands
snap shut between thin
clear plastic pages.
Safe sanitated
separation
sustains stains
seminal seminary.
Lifeblood bled bleaches
tantalized terminated
fetish felon disembodied
mink minx mistress mitigated.
Copyright © Terence George Craddock
Written in October 1995 on the 25&28.10.1995.
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Turkish Heritage Sold?
Return
at abrogated last
left
twilight mystic Turkey
meagre memories
safely stored
sealed within synthetic
protective plastic pages.
All permissible
total retrievable
removable
taken from Turkey
where youth
beauty are compulsory
male bled militarily
bound broken abandoned not.
Individual lack
lustre lifeblood
languishes
droops despoiled
dreams dribble
sucked dry savings
short-changed
devalue dynamic destiny.
Wonder withers worthless
people perish politically pulverized.
But Turkish Heritage rallies
national pride overcomes aggression.
It will be president democratic
who sells out to multinational corporations.
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Ode To Istanbul
Ode to my soulful Istanbul
mystic place where fermented
juices producing seasoned creative process.
Rich in diverse emotive experience
stretching your fabled essence
across unread palm of countless hands.
Ode to my siren soulful Istanbul
mystic city place where fermented
lyric poem sung in proud Turkish hearts.
Hearts which embraced with cultural cups
steaming tea coffee served in countless byways
as embraced poet tread myriad layered forms.
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Turkish Heritage Endures
Military milled protecting state
its 1991 Saddam Hussein is rattling
sabres in Kuwait controlling oil
after years of enduring this deadly
viper on the Turkish border supported
by military and financial aid and
diplomatic and moral support
from the Soviet Union, China, France,
and main ally the United States
tables are suddenly turned
Saddam is out Western Allies;
line up for the proverbial kill
so swiftly is American firepower
turned upon former allies; in this
neck of the woods where allegiances
so swiftly change American supported
today on presidential hit list tomorrow; yet
Türkiye in true spirit of Kemalism endures...
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night
Every gal in Constantinople
Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
So if you've a date in Constantinople
She'll be waiting in Istanbul
Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it I can't say
People just liked it better that way
So take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks
Istanbul (Istanbul)
Istanbul (Istanbul)
Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it I can't say
People just liked it better that way
Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks
So take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks
Istanbul
song performed by by They Might Be Giants
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Istanbul
Istanbul was constantinople
Now it's istanbul, not constantinople
Been a long time gone, constantinople
Now it's turkish delight on a moonlit night
Every gal in constantinople
Lives in istanbul, not constantinople
So if you've a date in constantinople
She'll be waiting in istanbul
Even old new york was once new amsterdam
Why they changed it i can't say
People just liked it better that way
So take me back to constantinople
No, you can't go back to constantinople
Been a long time gone, constantinople
Why did constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the turks
Istanbul (istanbul)
Istanbul (istanbul)
Even old new york was once new amsterdam
Why they changed it i can't say
People just liked it better that way
Istanbul was constantinople
Now it's istanbul, not constantinople
Been a long time gone, constantinople
Why did constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the turks
So take me back to constantinople
No, you can't go back to constantinople
Been a long time gone, constantinople
Why did constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the turks
Istanbul
song performed by by They Might Be Giants
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Syrian Civil War Blood Shed Radical
Syria
has no
decades
long economic
prosperity stability
to fall back on?
instability
in Syria
impacts
on Jordan
Iraq Turkey
Lebanon?
Syria
has heated
up Syrian
Israeli border tensions
since October in an attempt
at unification against
a common
traditional enemy?
but far too
much Syrian
civil war blood
has been shed
now contemporary
President of Turkey
Arab praise rising
on hate
Israeli rhetoric
agenda?
shares an old Israeli
misfortune Syrian shells
cross Turkish borders
and Israeli borders
cheer up worried Turkey
you have it easy?
hundreds of Palestinian
missiles kill not your citizens
relax safe within borders?
Israel suffers 12 years
of yearly 1000 rockets
slamming into her cities?
Britain America Turkey
would not suffer 12 days
12 hours of such attacks?
but beware the Syrian
National Council SNC enjoys
strong Turkish support?
dominated by Sunni Islamists
members of the Free Syrian Army
have begun to receive training?
from prominent
radical Islamists
like dangerous
Belhaj commander
of Tripoli Military
Council in Libya?
Belhadj with 'close relationships'
with al-Qaeda leaders specifically
cite Taliban chief Mullah Omar?
based in Jalalabad
Belhadj is alleged
to have run financed?
training camps
for Arab mujahideen fighters
be careful Turkey?
such warriors
supporting Islamic wars
support do not
sectarian republics
can cross so easily can
Turk Syrian borders?
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Istanbul Past Present Future
Istanbul life pulse do you feel it as I do?
When you gaze upon mosaic maze
tapestry ancestry diversity ethnicity
tolerance love respect embrace diverse
humanity all souls created God miracles
Istanbul hope tolerance lessons teaches
poem by Terence George Craddock
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November Memories
Sad autumn moments in
two thousand and three,
as victims were shopping
in Istanbul by the sea...
terrorism struck and bombs
brought despair; people
were deranged as debris
filled the air ~ little children
cried, many parents died.
All Turkey was silenced at
the truck-bomb violence.
Six years have been and
gone...but history lives on.
poem by Joyce Hemsley
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Every Turkey
Every Turkey wants to be a cow.
If they had it their way right now.
Every Turkey should immediately hide.
They should not ask a stranger for a ride.
Every Turkey should not give up a fight.
When the farmer trys to hold them tight.
Every Turkey should run real fast.
All of them are competing to be the very last.
Every Turkey should make a lot of noise.
So The farmers joy can't be immense.
Every turkey wishes you were a vegetarian.
Us turkey lovers are just not that mean.
Every Turkey is not able to say Happy Thanksgiving.
They are all to busy giving.
We all say thanks to God for their giving.
Who knows what a new year might bring.
Statue’s Source
Ataturk was wonderful.
Ataturk was great.
Yet if Ataturk
was so wonderful?
Why did he drink raki
every night so late?
If he had been a
Winston Churchill?
He might have partaken
of brandy and cigars?
Copyright © Terence George Craddock
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (1881-1938) was a soldier, statesman, reformer, founder and first president (1923-1938) of the Republic of Turkey. He was given the name Ataturk (‘Father of Turks’) by the National Assembly in 1934.
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Derangement Historically Expansive Echoes
To my sensual soulful Istanbul
mystic veiled spectre haunting
undulations soft sensual rhythms.
Flowing fusillade thoughts frequently flee
to lost time ruined dissipated private places
where once fermented an empire's juices.
Fat plots seeping fostered luscious dramatic covetous juices
producing throbbing dust choked conspired changes
rich in diverse emotive engineered hegemonic experience.
Stretching tortured sepsis fabled essence
across greased or ungeased unread palm
countless hands caught stirred murky waters.
Far from war's devastation
also are laments cried
due to plot weak willed men
eager to exploit carnage.
Seed such designated derangement
neither were you spared in times
past nor present in war nor commerce
politic my mystic soulful Istanbul.
Hegemony - Leadership, predominance.
Sepsis - Putrefaction; infection from a festering wound, blood-poisoning.
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Aya Sophýa Istanbul
Aya Sophýa Istanbul
church built
to honour God
became a model
for all mosques
to honour Allah
See also the poem ‘Praise God As Blessed Peacemakers’.
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Cold Turkey
Temperatures rising
Fever is high
Cant see no future
Cant see no sky
My feet are so heavy
So is my head
I wish I was a baby
I wish I was dead
Cold turkey has got me on the run
My body is aching
Goose-pimple bone
Cant see no body
Leave me alone
My eyes are wide open
Cant get to sleep
One thing Im sure of
Im in at the deep freeze
Cold turkey has got me on the run
Cold turkey has got me on the run
Thirty-six hours
Rolling in pain
Praying to someone
Free me again
Oh Ill be a good boy
Please make me well
I promise you anything
Get me out of this hell
Cold turkey has got me on the run
Oh, oh, oh, oh
song performed by by Lennon John
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Cold Turkey
Temperature's rising
Fever is high
Can't see not future
Can't see no sky
My feet are so heavy
So is my head
I wish I was a baby
I wish I was dead
Cold turkey has got me on the run
Body is aching
Goose-pimple bone
Can't see no body
Leave me alone
My eyes are wide open
Can't get to sleep
One thing I'm sure of
I'm at the deep freeze
Cold turkey has got me on the run
Cold turkey has got me on the run
Thirty-six hours
Rolling in pain
Praying for someone
Free me again
Oh I'll be a good boy
Please make me well
I promise you anything
Get me out of this hell
Cold turkey has got me on the run
song performed by by Beatles
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Asian Cyanide Fishing
“symptoms eyes white
skin seared fish dead
in two or three days”
coral dead from cyanide
industry fishing suicide
Indonesian fish genocide
global curbside ringside
stupidity fisheries riptide
resource fish stocks died
depleted
shanghaied
worldwide
welcome event
horizon dead
empty saline seas
(Quotation from the poem ‘World Fish Extinction Crisis’ by Terence George Craddock )
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Transition In Building Worship Utilization
Aya Sophýa Istanbul
church built to honour our God
became prime model
for all mosques to honour Allah
Hagia Sophia Greek
Holy Wisdom
Sancta Sophia Latin
Sancta Sapientia Turkish
designed by the Greek
scientist Isidore of Miletus
who taught physics
in Alexandria Egypt
then Constantinople Bosporus
and Anthemius of Tralles
a Greek professor of Geometry
in Constantinople Byzantium
string construction of ellipse
conic sections elaborate vaulting
of Hagia Sophia incorporate theories
of famed Heron of Alexandria?
utilized to address challenges
presented by problematic building
an expansive dome over large spaces
designed by a physicist
and a mathematician
completed in 537AD rebuilt
by 563 after an earthquake
Aya Sofya an Orthodox
patriarchal basilica
from date of its dedication
in 360 until 1453
serving as cathedral
of Constantinople except
between 1204 and 1261
when it was converted
to a Roman Catholic cathedral
under powerful Latin Patriarch
of Constantinople as the Western
Crusader established Latin Empire
Aya Sofya a mosque
from 1453 until 1931
then secularized opened
as city museum in 1935
now a museum in Istanbul
Aya Sofya 1093 years
principal cathedral
of Constantinople
almost 500 years
principal mosque
of Turkish Istanbul
Hagia Sophia served
as a model for many
other Ottoman mosques
the Kılıç Ali Paşa Mosque
the Rüstem Pasha Mosque
the Şehzade Mosque
the Süleymaniye Mosque
the Sultan Ahmed Mosque
famous Blue Mosque of Istanbul
your vaulted dome planned
to surpass expansive spaces
mirror symbolic ascent into heaven
Aya Sofya famous massive dome
considered an amazing epitome
of surviving Byzantine architecture
changed concept history of architecture
largest cathedral in entire world
for over a thousand imposing years
until Catholic Seville Cathedral
Europe finally completed in 1506
1402-1506 a century in building
history abounds in massive building faith
building faith erected to honour God
transition in building worship utilization
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Thanksgiving
The man who stands above the bird, his knife
Sharp as a Turkish scimitar, first removes
A thigh and leg, half the support
On which the turkey used to stand. This
Leg and thigh he sets on an extra
Plate. All his weight now on
One leg, he lunges for the wing, the wing
On the same side of the bird from which
He has just removed the leg and thigh.
He frees the wing enough to expose
The breast, the wing not severed but
Collapsed down to the platter. One hand
Holding the fork, piercing the turkey
Anywhere, he now beings to slice the breast,
Afflicted by small pains in his chest,
A kind of heartburn for which there is no
Cure. He serves the hostess breast, her
Own breast rising and falling. And so on,
Till all the guests are served, the turkey
Now a wreck, the carver exhausted, a
Mere carcass of his former self. Everyone
Says thanks to the turkey carver and begins
To eat, thankful for the cold turkey
And the Republic for which it stands.
poem by Mac Hammond
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