Monday, December 22, 2025

PRESENTING ORHAN VELI

 


GIFT WRAPPING


December, 2025

a week before New year's eve

a week before the prick of a needle

in each of my eyes

i am wrapping gifts to daughters

and to granddaughters

and before i receive a gift of an apne mask cushion from one of them

because I asked for it

and pecks

on cheeks

from all five 

and hugs

perfunctory

not from a wish list nonexistent


it is easy to hurt an old body

a body with pains from a recent fall at night

and arthritis

and dark specks flying in the eye

almost an expert at delaying bladder needs night and day

daring the powers to act to punish my folly


I am gifting "Complete poems of Orhan Veli" to each daughter


thinking that they may understand misery, hopelessness and poverty

of a different kind in verses of a different kind of a different time 

if they find and riffle through the pages of  books and manuscripts of 

poetry, even if they consider them defunct like those who wrote them.


And one day, someone will visit this abode, or live here snd feel the wings 

and the brief puff of one or more poets passing through the doors.




ahmet cafer celebiler

not yet wrapping it up

December 22, 2025




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