MELTEM ARIKAN

My path is in Elan Valley  Made of meaning Step by step Everything about my soul  Encoded in it Even sometimes The ground is soaked Slowing me down This is time on my own This is an adventure I’m under no obligation to be objective  This is my journey and has set off a whole line of emotion… When I first came to Wales I was in love with Brecon, then I discovered the mountains of Snowdonia, and they drew me in. Then I came to Elan Valley and had the feeling I was in Brecon again. It’s hard to explain with words, but I had a connection as if I had found my roots.  Several years ago I wrote two theatre plays and toured with each of them all around Wales. Having had the opportunity to tour the country twice, I am sure Powys is my place. Cardiff is a lovely city but I’m not a city person. Living very happily in Elan Valley, I made my decision to live around thereafter my fellowship in February 2021. This meant I had to start searching now. Trying to find a rental house is...

Words cannot give me a reality I learned this harshly They only indicate They only point I want to reach beyond words And I now know only nature can teach that to me…

Birds tell us what to do   Holding the sun As if it is never down       Love makes us feel alive Sleeping in silence As if dark noises never come Dreams make heart beat fast Dreaming in blue Mother of sight Above the earth  no place to hide Above my thoughts walk through blindly  on the green lines When Rebecca arrived, I was so excited about our week. I know she loves walking, hiking, and wildlife, but at the same time, I knew she was five months pregnant. So this could be unique for both of us. Sitting by the fire, just woken up from a deep nap. It’s tranquil here! I knew there was no internet and no phone signal and being used to camping and walking in the wilderness that felt ok. Before I got here… now it feels like an adjustment! The thought of a quiet evening… no internet, no films, no one is coming and going on the street outside… a little daunting, but I imagine it could be extremely grounding. I ofte...

Full of seedlings... Yearning for blue roses This path Opens our weaknesses  Like a song That remains Full of roses And dead silence Being reborn With every century  That inks into A new chapter (Filiz Çelik)