I Left My Heart in Istanbul

Listen to the Spoken Word version of this poem

I left my heart in Istanbul,

On a late March run, amidst the clouds and the Sun,

I left my heart in Istanbul,

On top of the Galata Tower,

Inside of a chic apartment in Beyoğlu,

Amidst the very alive Taksim square,

I left my heart.

Away from the wilted clovers,

Away! My pleading past lovers,

My California king; my Roman taste,

My Spanish fury & New York haste,

I left my heart in Istanbul.

We roamed and roared in the city,

We played and did our chores in the city,

We made love and lived in the city,

I left my heart in Istanbul.

It was the last time I ever felt love,

I realized I needed more of it,

I cried, I lied, I stayed frozen,

My breath synced up with his heartbeats,

I was buying time, some more time,

I wanted him to be mine, all mine,

But, I knew I had to give in,

So, I left my heart in Istanbul.

With the sweetest Baklava and our lavish Kebap cravings,

Inside that tiny Irish Pub and the tattoo shop,

I left my bleeding heart in Istanbul,

Because I just couldn’t take it anymore.

My body was gone long before,

Some kisses here, some there,

My open wounds licked by their tongues,

My unclothed body locked in their arms,

You know I had to leave my heart in Istanbul,

Because he lied.

He couldn’t stay true and I couldn’t make it through.

But, I still dream of Istanbul,

The beautiful distant land,

Now I’ve seen it through a lover’s eye,

He tells me tales and the time goes by,

Shhh! He doesn’t know!

He sees my heart pure and poured,

He lets me drive wild and he lets me soar but he doesn’t know that I left my heart in Istanbul.

More than a year ago.

***

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