TE16 Turkish Delight

Karin Karakaşlı

THE SILVER WOMAN

I was the silver woman My hair going on for nights It is said that when the moonlight falls on my face Thousand-year spells come undone The stars are my witness. By tinsel and lamé slippers By hot lead poured to guard against evil eyes By the antique brooch I was mostly known The second-hand sellers are my witness. I was old but not durable Nowhere as sophisticated as gold No one now seems to have the patience of filigree Darkened, I was tossed aside The garbage men are my witness.

I committed thatvoicetomemory, buried itverydeep. I tooka long hard look, infused her face behind my eyes. I had more questions to ask but she wouldn’t let me. “You must forget everything now, it’s time for you to be born,” she said and left me alone with my darkness. “Please, stay,” I said, but she was already gone. Light spilled in from behind my head. I was blinded by light. I was in some sort of hole where only exit promised relief. So intense was the pressure. It felt like someone gave me a push from behind. The pain ceased, I got out.

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