the spirit is ageless

If wrinkles must be written upon our brows,

let them not be written upon the heart.

The spirit should not grow old.

- James A. Garfield

The Rose

by Ummi Sinan

I dreamt I came to a magnificent city
     whose palace was the rose, rose.
The crown and throne of the great sultan,
     his garden and chambers
          were the rose, rose.

Here they buy and sell but roses
     and the roses are the scales they use,
Weighing roses with more roses,
     the marketplace and bazaar
          are all roses, rose.

English version by Jennifer Ferraro and Latif Bolat
Original Language Turkish