"The Girl from Algeria"

At one point or another, all of us have fallen for someone who was with 'somebody else.'

I have certainly felt that agony many, many times over. And, for that reason, I chose to write this poem "The Girl from Algeria," quite recently.

The image above is from the Turkish-German filmmaker Fatih Akin's brilliant film "Gegen di Wand/Duvarlara Karsi/Head-On," in which former adult film star Sibel Kekilli gave a an amazing performance.

I was also considering using an image from the highly political Algerian film "Racida" (2005), which like Akin's film, is also available on dvd. "Rachida" features another provacative performance by a female lead from Algerian actress Ibtissem Djouadi.

I highly recommend them both.

Though I am still a novice at poetry, I must credit published Turkish-American poet Kammal Ayyildiz for inspiring me to try. He is also from my hometown of Roanoke, Va., and his book of poetry "The Cistern" is avaible on amazon.com

I also think it's safe that if a million people visited this blog a day, I would perhaps choose not to write something so personal, but then again, perhaps I would!

Here is my poem:

"The Girl from Algeria"

The distance between us is great,

even though we are so close so much of the time.

There is no escape from my desires,

even though they only cause me unflinching torture as well as unyielding pain,

as if a knife is going deeply through my hand_

without anesthesia.

I truly respect that you love another man.

And, if you were mine, there would still be a vacant space,

for we are not and never can be the same.

It is best for me to find a detour,

from this lonely place,

though I sense like an inmate, I have no place for refuge or escape.

I say this as I imagine you walking barefoot on a distant beach holding his hand,

as he kisses your olive skin while simultaneously stroking your long black hair,

making promises he'll try to keep when you willingly enter his bed.

There are good reasons why I don't believe in heaven.

Perhaps, because I am truly in hell_ disguised as a sacred place.

I hope one day to see your native land,

with or without you there.

Tags: Fatih Akin, Kammal Ayyildiz, Algeria, Turkey, Sibel Kekilli, poems