Aegean Pearls: My Life in Izmir

I attended my first Turkish folk concert this week, a performance by the T epecik Filarmoni Orkestrasi , a group of musicians who play Romany music, among other styles. It was an experience unlike anything I have ever heard, and my mind is honestly still relishing it. Here's a look at some video my friend shot of the concert, held at the Sanathane Theater in Basmane, a historic area with winding, cobble-stone streets close to the center of town. Romany music is, of course, tied to the Balkan gypsy culture, and it is very eastern in orientation and sound. The 10-piece band, led by a percussionist on the doubek drum included 3 violinists, a tambourine, a base drum, a zither, clarinet, trumpet, and a keyboardist playing bass notes.  But to their Romany songs, TFO added some Turkish folk and even some riffs on western standards. They have a really cool arrangement of Mozart's symphony #25 that they meld with Romany style to create a musical experience unlike any other. There was a...

Next to the coin collection, this "Statue of a Running Athlete" is the highlight of Izmir's archaeological museum. This statue, which dates to around 50 BCE, was fished out of the sea near a village close to here. I'm not sure if my poem adds to its beauty, but I wanted to capture it in words. He runs--bronze athlete-- Laurel-crowned, eyes focused on the Finish line. He runs, His arms lifted not In victory, but outward, Reaching. One more goal! Why does he run, still? Fixed in bronze, his laurel won. Why does he sprint, still, Towards some eternal finish? He runs. Still, he runs. And I, when I have Stumbled far from finishing-- Dry dust in my mouth, Nettles for a crown-- Will think of this bronze runner Frozen in a moment Of glory and I Will get up and keep     On          Running!

  Two dimensional, The colors of Aegean sunset Splay the horizon I'm up to most challenges, but Aegean sunsets have me in thrall. I don't know if I'll ever be able to describe them. The poem above was one of my first tries. It may take me years. The most beautiful sunsets I've seen were in Arizona. Those were vivid, 3D spectacles that reached orange-purple arms across the sky and embraced me. I'm not sure if it's the summer haze or a lack of clouds (I asked someone, "When will it rain again?" and they told me, "October."), but the sunsets look like a watercolor painting, back-and-forth swathes of color. Zoom in on this photo and look at the horizon. There are deep-purple mountains (or islands--that's a mystery I WILL uncover personally, I assure you) just above the waves.