A TRAVELOGUE

Flocks of tourists
like migratory birds
land in the country
with back-packs
and cameras hung
around shoulders.
Take pleasure drives
around cities, towns and
rural areas
leaf thru brochures
click click click
cage themselves in
five star hotels
take to drinks
spend pleasurable
ecstatic moments
with call girls
spend three
to four nights
take a few notes
and fly back.
Like one taking a
swim across the sea
from one end to
the other end
a superficial one
no diving deep into
the bottom
and discovering the latent
secrets, truths
so far hidden
upon reaching their
land
pen travelogues
sponsored by
so-called accomplished
publishing houses
made into book forms.
With all kinds of
plaudits by
so-called well-known
writers
thus stealing the
lime-light.
While
the sincere, hardworking ones
roam around
months if not years
visiting every nook and
cranny of the country
learning, imbibing
historical books
like delving deep into
the sea
tracing down
the latent truths
so far hidden
and producing
a life-time achievement
of a precious gem
but none left to leaf thru.
Courtesy : Orhan Pamuk