Perihan

By Sara Deniz Akant
it doesn’t matter when I cross.
two seconds and they’re gone.
the ferry facing Ulus. the trees
that spanked of green. the narrow
bags of temples. beyond that –
just – these Peri scenes
 
            when the human body sweats
            the skin produce an oil
 
            when Peri bodies sweat
            it does not produce the oil
 
the ropes fall to the pavement
their waters slap me still
their green glow sweats
into the pavement waters
slap me still –
 
            I could curl among the roses
 
            I would make an aqualung
 
we will reach the edge of this walk soon.
all lights torn out for fuel.
 
            move my fingers in the dark
 
awoke without a start.
Peri here – my name is Peri –
 
my name is Perihan

Copyright Credit: Sara Deniz Akant, "Perihan." Copyright © 2017 Sara Deniz Akant. Used by permission of the author for PoetryNow, a partnership between the Poetry Foundation and the WFMT Radio Network.
Source: PoetryNow (2017)