From the Latin

John RC Potter

Desiderium:
Comes from the Latin;
an intense longing and desire
for something in the past,
what was once held and loved.
Full of meaning, but a word
that has many facets;
rather difficult to fully grasp,
and with Swiftian touches.
Five years of learning
Latin in high school,
but I do not recall
ever hearing this word.

Hasret:
Comes from the Turkish
and means much the same,
with more potency and poignancy, yet
a deeper desire mixed with melancholy.
Byzantium, Constantinople,
Stamboul, Istanbul:
For centuries, this gem has been drawing
people to her glory from all over the globe.
A metropolis
that has its own mystery,
a cosmopolis
heralded in history.

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John RC Potter
John RC Potter is an international educator from Canada who lives in Istanbul.  He has experienced a revolution (Indonesia), air strikes (Israel), earthquakes (Turkey), boredom (UAE), and blinding snow blizzards (Canada), the last being the subject of his story, ‘Snowbound in the House of God’ (Memoirist). The author’s poems, stories, essays, articles, and reviews have been published in various magazines and journals. His story, ‘Ruth’s World’ was a Pushcart Prize nominee, and his poem, ‘Tomato Heart’ was nominated for the Best of the Net Award. The author’s gay-themed children’s picture book, The First Adventures of Walli and Magoo, is scheduled for publication. He is a member of the League of Canadian Poets. Recent Publication: “Heimat” (Poem) March 14, 2025 – Overgrowth Website: https://johnrcpotterauthor.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnRCPotter