Street Poetry (Field Work) 

"We should consider everyday lost which we have not danced at least once"* Friedrich Nietzsche

It is in a night club in Marmaris written at a poster hanged right next to the dj cabin. Orginally this quote is from Thus Spoke Zarathustra, chapter 56 (old and new tables), number 23. Purpose of this aphorism is to urge or to motivate people to dance, have fun and most likely to buy drinks. A more deep reading of function is to give clubbing a deeper sense; dancing as a philosophical obligation directly from one of the most popular and controversial philosopher. Clubbing in the eyes of majority seen as a free-time event deprived of its own cultural settings, not as a sophisticated way of spending time. Dancing is the main activity in club as well as listening to music and socializing. This poster is a mean to think dancing a different context, in a different environment. Which is also an usual place to see aphorisms, proves that aphorisms are everywhere.

The scenes are from the HBO show Game of Thrones, while the compilation of the multiple scenes is by the YouTube user "d0bermanner". It is a hybrid form.*  The character Hodor, in Game of Thrones, only says "Hodor" throughout the whole series. Viewers of the show find out later on that it is an abbreviation for "Hold the door."  Although it is extremely short (a single word) and seemingly meaningless, it gains meaning through the intonation and the behavior of the media who is Hodor himself.

My teacher said, "Go back to Syria and don't come back." I went to the restroom and cried. -- 15 years old Merve from Syria

This is a hybrid form consisting of an anecdote and a footnote.* This anecdote is a digression from the discriminatory narrative against refugees. The footnote specifies that the narrator of this anecdote is a child refugee (Merve). This makes the anecdote more realistic and striking. The contrasting colors and big font render the poster more easily recognized among the others. The materials that are used to produce this poster (paper and ink) are vulnerable to rain and being torn down. The medium is a poster, which we encounter in our daily life very often. This can increase or decrease the visibility of the message.

This is a list I keep on the refrigerator.  It is a magnetic notepad with lines on which anything can be written, but it mainly is a list. The effect of this list is a modification of memory: I don't have to remember, I simply need to look. It's temporary, only important until it's not, and then can be discarded. If it were permanent--stone, metal, or other lasting material-- I would not use it for a list but to remind myself of something important from the past, present, and into the future.

There is nothing literary about this list, but it demonstrates the effect of writing on form, audience, and writer. At different times I am the writer and audience, which means I switch between Turkish and English, while ignoring spelling or grammar. Others can see this list, but it is not meant for them and it is usually ignored. 

This is a sale post in the shopping app called letgo. It is posted online in order to sell an old postcard. Related information about the transaction is given under the photos of the product such as its cost in addition to its history. It was sent in Holy Days and it is from the 19th century. It also indicates that the handwriting in the back is original. However, when the product is examined further, the category of postcard becomes problematic. First of all, this is an emblem as it is a combination of an allegorical image of Jesus and a young person with a religious verse; “The desired yoke, O My Jesus, that burden is sweet to the heart that loves you”. Secondly, the medium which is carving the card makes it questionable to call it a postcard. Instead of printing the image and the text on it, carving becomes a part of the image with heavenly figures of clouds and light, which interested me the most about this form. In the bottom of the back side of the card the creator of the work is given: L, Turgis. Yet again the printed message and the handwriting of a personal note and date (which indicates a second author) lead us to categorise it as a postcard. Furthermore, the online post itself can be also considered as an emblem since, it is a combination of an image with an instructive text under. Electronic medium offers an option to contact the seller with two exemplary questions as “Is it still available?” and “Is the price negotiable?”. I took screenshots of the post from the app of letgo.  All translations from French are made by Google Translate. (PIC.COLLAGE is the app I used to bring together two images as one)

Çiğdem Güres Erden BÜ'96

In order to honor the alumni who make donations to Bogazici University, their names are nailed on benches around the South Campus. This use of epigram is similar to the traditional use of epigrams in the ancient world: specifying to whom a monument/tomb... belongs to or is devoted to. The name is carved on a shiny plate. The medium may signify the respect shown to this person. Also, carving the name gives the sense of permanency although the nails can be taken out and the plate can be removed easily. The font used to write the name  looks serious and classy. This can indicate the respect shown to the donator as well as the profile that the university wants to hold. The upper case letters are used as to abbreviate the name of the university (BÜ). In Turkish, generally the surnames are written with upper case letters. Also, there is nothing separating the name of the donator and the abbreviation of the school. BÜ'96 looks like the surname of the person. This may signify the attempt to create an inclusive identity that unites school's students and alumni.

This is a page from the novel “House of Leaves”. There is a title that is simply the chapter number in Roman numerals, then a quote from a photographer followed by a Biblical quote and a Dante reference, and the narrative is shortly interrupted by footnotes. All of these are typed in different fonts. These fonts imitate the authors’ different voices, and this is because we had to invent ways to convey thought and emotion outside the text/content. Also, the second footnote is not a citation of academic sources, but a personal narrative of an editor-collector that becomes part of the overall narrative of the novel. This is unusual for footnotes, but new media prompt us to get increasingly creative. 

"House of Leaves" by Mark Z. Danielewski, photograph taken by me.

"P.S.3 I'd send you memes but my printer is broken." My friend Michał

This is a postscript (P.S.) and it is the third P.S. in the letter. He could have written PPPS (post-post-post-scriptum) but maybe he found that abbreviation uncommon.

This postscript is at the end of the letter he wrote with black ink on white paper. It is in English because it is our main language to communicate with each other and my Polish is poor. It is meant to be read by me, the receiver. This short form is there to indicate an action he could not perform that is sending examples of another short form- a popular one, internet meme, alongside the letter. The statement has a hint of irony because internet memes are meant to be send, received, shared, and made through cyberspace. Michał likes sending me funny memes therefore this statement may fulfill the function of a meme that is making someone laugh or audibly blow some air out of their noses. 

"QVIS ERVDIET WITHOVT DOCVMENTA" The name of a book by Elio Montanari, fragment taken directly by Ezra Pound. 

It's the title of a photography book by Elio Montanari who had made a presentation or speech about that book in SALT Galata, the title is then placed on the wall and it ends up being aphoristic. This is in SALT Galata and it can be seen by anybody. I was about to go downstairs when I saw shiny metallic letters and it looked like an inscription often found at an old gate except that this was placed in between glasses. For a second I couldn't process what I'd seen because as I read the word "WITHOVT" I thought my mind was playing games on me. If it was all in Latin I wouldn't linger on it as much- I'd just acknowledge it's a question and thus a question mark is omitted and I'd try to make up its meaning as far as my current Latin knowledge allows me to, then move on with my day. But that one word "WITHOVT" prompted me to uncover its meaning right at the place (and do some additional research later in the day), but I somehow managed to end up with more questions. "Who will/shall instruct without documents/some evidence?" is what I got and this is why I wanted to categorize it as aphoristic. 

-Anda Kalın: Stay in the moment

-Korktuğunuz Şey Başınıza Gelir: What you fear happens to you

-Sevdiğiniz İşi Yapın: Do the job you love

-Bencil Olun: Be selfish

-Hobi Edinin: Have a hobby

-Çevrenizi Çok İyi Seçin: Choose friends wisely

These  maxims remind me that we often rely on short statements of truth in difficult or stressful moments. Whether a wise statement, a mystery, or rule for life, brief, memorable, and general truths are comforting and secure when everything else is chaotic and out of our control. Brevity removes the unnecessary and helps us focus on what is important or necessary.

Six months ago, Eren Kismet was diagnosed with a brain tumor and through his treatment and recovery,  these are the lessons he shared with his audience. 

“WHAT MATTERS IS SWEEPING AWAY THE WOES It’s easy to sweep the streets” This was on a waste collection vehicle in Büyükçekmece. In addition to being a joke*, it is a municipal motto that became an epigram when it was put on a waste collection vehicle. The surface being a vehicle makes this joke-motto mobile, unlike most epigrams which end up being stationary and gaining a specific sort of aura – the aura of this particular epigram is a mood swing. Why is a municipal vehicle making a generic joke while collecting waste?** Photograph taken by me (with a smart phone).

*This is also a pun on the idiom "to sweep away." 

**You could also draw attention to the author and authority that printed this pun. Your title associates it with the driver, but it is a government decision.

"Ay'ı hedefleyin. Iskalarsanız bile en azından yıldızlara ulaşırsınız."- Çin atasözü -- "Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may hit a star." Chinese proverb*

Unlike what the footnote suggests, this is not a Chinese proverb but a quotation from W. Clement Stone. I have seen this billboard while I was waiting for the subway. There were many book advertisements side by side. I think the contrasting colors and the big woman's image on this advertisement, which made me feel as if the woman is looking at me and saying the quotation, grabbed my attention. The quotation is the right length for someone who has a few minutes before the train comes. Also, claiming that this quotation is a Chinese proverb and using this to introduce the book, the advertisement (wrongly) suggests that the book contains wisdom of old Chinese culture. 

*The conflict between various short forms places the reader in conceptual conflict: the book's cover has some, then their is the "fake" proverb, as well as the "You are not alone. There is help!" There are also the social media handles at the bottom, which call for action by the reader.

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

-John F. Kennedy

This is  a quotation from JFK's inaugural address  in 1961 that is now printed in every US passport. It was an announcement (Let every nation know) that invoked patriotism, nationalism, and unity through a list of parallel structures, alliteration, and repetition. In a passport, however,  the meaning changes since the audience may not speak English and its purpose is "verification" of the user by the government.  The quote amplifies the "aura" of the passport . The quote is often covered by stamps at various passport controls. 

This is an amphitheater in Caddeboston where graffiti is spray painted on the seats as well as the stage floor. It is a palimpsest of tags, quotes, #hashtags, @twitterhandles, and pictures. The concrete structure has never been used for a public performance since I moved to Istanbul in 2011. Rather, a quick stage is set up right next to this for concerts and public events. It has become overgrown with grass, decorated with graffiti, and exists as a relic of broken concrete. An architectural space imagined as a shared experience has become a gathering place for youth to eat çekirdek and drink beer while leaving a trace of their serious and humorous thoughts. 

"Aqui vive un: Dentista" 

It's emblematic. It depicts a dentist and his patient from around the middle ages. I'm currently at the dentist with my close friend accompanying our friend. While waiting I saw this on the wall and it says "Here lives a: Dentist." The dentist said he bought this small picture when he was in Corona, Spain and he added he has indeed been living and working here for over 30 years. The picture used decoratively, looks like it's depicting a dentist and his patient who looks like he's upper class from the middle ages. The colors used are vivid and the picture is framed and I think the base is porcelain. Anyone who comes to see this dentist can see that emblematic furniture. This picture tells me the dentist loves his job and that is very reassuring. 

This is  Graffiti (?), joke, proverb

On the left: “Wash me" "teach me how to wash myself...”; on the right: “you hit and they get stitches, I hit and they get burials”. The left side is definitely a joke referencing the proverb “give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime”. Being written on a dusty car gives it a witty air, but I’m not sure if we can call this a witticism, nor graffito or epigram since it’s definitely on a surface but not permanently. The right side is common graffito with rhyme and wordplay on the word “atarlar”. Both are mobile as long as it doesn't rain and the owner of the car doesn't wash them off, so the artists have little authority over their creations.

This is a simple graffito found on the outer wall of a factory in Beylikdüzü. The logo informs us that it’s an Instagram account and transforms this into illegal advertisement, since it’s also an act of vandalism. Funnily enough, the account is private and requires the permission of the owner to follow it, rendering this advertisement half-useless. Writing on walls implies some desperation to gain followers, not pickiness if and when they attempt to follow. Aside from that, the aura is interesting with overgrown ivy framing the graffito, showing that we will shove our modern culture into whatever patch of nature we come across.

I see this wall of scrolling banners between TB,  JF, and Engineering  everyday. They are epigrammatic because these devices are attached to a wall. The mechanical movements of signs scrolling up and down catch ones eye and force one to look at websites, telephones, food, coffee, movies, and other products. The sheer number of signs in one location implies that it is impossible to recognize them all in one glance. They fade into the background, but the location is strategic between classrooms and student dorms--yet hidden from public view-- to target student audiences while not diminishing the "academic" reputation of the university. You would not find these signs on the main gate, Albert Long Hall, the rectorate, or other symbolic and public buildings.  

"Her canlı ölümü tadacaktır." 

"Every soul shall taste death." 

This is an epigraph written on the arch above the front gate of the Zincirlikuyu Cemetery that was originally a repeated verse from the Quran. Although the purport of this epigraph is quite clear, its effect changes a lot through the context and the medium of the writing compared to when it appears as a simple verse in the Quran; it transforms from being a religious maxim into being a memento mori symbol for everyone, regardless of their beliefs, as it captures your attention whilst passing by. It transcends its religious effect of warning and becomes a reminder that shows millions of vehicles and pedestrians that they all will, effectively, end up in a cemetery

This is from the game “A Hat in Time”. Upon interacting with the radio in the room by clicking on it, we are presented with this piece of flavor text. According to Wikipedia, flavor text is a text that “serves to add realism or characterization to the item in question”. This particular piece mentions “radio broadcasts” which are parodies of three famous podcast titles (“Friends at the Table”, “Welcome to Night Vale” and “My Brother, My Brother and Me”, respectively). I think flavor text functions like a less formal kind of footnote or gloss for games. Here, the game urges the player to look up these titles, referencing works from other media, but only if the player decides to interact with it.

“Bi’şey söylicem ama gülmek yok” [“I’m gonna tell you sumthin but you can’t laugh”]. This is the title of a slice-of-life book by the Turkish author Mine Sota. It’s spelled the way it would be said in a casual conversation. The phrasing suggests it’ll tell the reader something they’ll want to laugh at. The caricaturized figures in the background enhance this comicality. This casual attitude, along with the title’s length and the silly font, draws attention and increases the likelihood of purchase. The "carpe diem!" in the bottom right corner is the name of the publishing house, inspired by the cliché.

I listen to this podcast and this episode emphasizes the effects of media on our perception of the world and ourselves: specifically photography. Have a listen.

I found this little Ex Libris (a sticker or stamp in a book to mark ownership) in an article about these little sticky-grams. In the majority of the books of the Robert College library, which now belongs to the Boğaziçi University. One funny example is from İ. Gündağ Kayaoğlu, folk-culture expert and researcher-writer. We see a writer surrounded by books with hand written inscription “Yâ Kebikeç” in Arabic on it done in 1985. The word “Kebikeç,” which was thought to be the “Sultan of the Bugs” was inscribed on handwritten manuscript books to protect them from worms. The bugs were believed to be afraid of the Kebikeç and avoid approaching the books with this word on them (Pektas, 2014). 

Next time you are in the library, look for these little stickers on the inside of older book covers. Today, we use barcodes :(. 

This is a genre of writing which I came to call, "rezalet entry genre" at Ekşi Sözlük.

This is an Ekşi Sözlük entry, accessible at https://eksisozluk.com/14-kasim-2018-serifali-kugu-pastanesi-rezaleti--5846331 (latest 9 Dec. 2019). It registers a complaint by an anonymous Ekşi Sözlük user and publicizes the complaint not only by publishing it in an interactive website, but also by using the word, "rezalet" in its title. (Remember the meaning of the word rezalet here). This particular complaint is an example of a broader genre of "rezalet" titles and entries at Ekşi Sözlük. These entries all give the date of the incident and the party that is complained about (usually a corporation, hospital, etc.). Notice how other contributors join in discussing the quality of the rezalet in question and at times give a score for the rezalet. This way, not only the rezalet genre becomes interactive but it also becomes more established over time through the engagement of other Sözlük users. In my broader work, I look at how this genre becomes established, how the number of rezalet entries increase over time and whether we can point to a correlation between the increase of these seemingly non political rezalet entries and political frustrations felt by a certain segment of the Turkish society. 

https://eksisozluk.com/14-kasim-2018-serifali-kugu-pastanesi-rezaleti--5846331

This is part of a comment thread on a line of a Wattpad story. Wattpad separates paragraphs into sections that the reader can comment on independently of other paragraphs. As we can see, several readers jokingly compare this particular line of dialogue (which we could also call a quotation because Wattpad separates it from others) to an incantation. Also, if this were a physical book, the margins would be full of comments and the page would have post-its stuck on it to host all 47 comments for this single line, not counting the other paragraphs.Screenshot taken on Wattpad.

kokuyor.net (itsmells.net) is a witticism in the form of an epigraph. I have come across this witticism in the sitting area in front of Dunken Donuts, North Campus (Bogazici University). People usually smoke during breaks in this area and there are cigarette ends nearby. The location hints that this witticism criticizes the smokers. The wit comes from its form that mimics an internet link. I remember in my high school years we used to add ".com" at the end of our sentences for fun, e.g. iselpttoomuch.com. This implies that this epigram could be written on the wall ten years ago, the permanent markers must be resistant enough. The writer might also be around my age and use this form for nostalgia as well as to create a group sense for rhetorical reasons — those who realize the ".net/.com" vs. who cannot. North Campus (Bogazici University).

This is a quote from The Catcher in the Rye and also the last line in the book. I drew this to my friend years ago and found it hung up on her wall today. It is a harder paper than a regular A4 and is larger, it's torn from my sketchbook. I used drawing pencils. It is the cover of The Catcher in the Rye with the quote "Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody." written next to it. My intention was to draw the cover only but then I remember adding this quote because I simply like it and there was this huge space left blank. I'm not sure if there's a version of the book cover with this quote. From the way I wrote my "y"s I think I wanted the letters to look more orderly like they appear in print as I remember writing the letters carefully as not to ruin the drawing. 

This graffiti is from the East Side Gallery of the Berlin Wall that was made by a Berlin-based street artist Marycula. The graffiti consists of a short writing and an image of Karl Marx. The short writing is a sententia because it offers the artist’s political opinion through a thought bubble that comes out from Marx. The mixture of visual and written media offers an artistic take on the wall's and the city's history through a political opinion. 

“Tuvalet kağıdı bitmiş, taharet musluğu çalışmıyor, götümü göz yaşlarım ile sildim” “Toilet paper is gone, the bidet is not working, I wiped my ass with my tears”

This is a latrinalia that is inscribed on one of the walls in 1st Men’s Dormitory on South Campus. This short form narrates the particular moment in which the writer is using the toilet when it did not have any available sanitary product. Since this is also a brief account of the writer’s experience, which they humorously inscribed on the wall, this short form can also be considered as an anecdote. The writer talks about a moment of desperation to which anyone can relate; therefore, this latrinalia functions as a humorous warning, too. 

"Die Philosophen haben die Welt nur verschieden interpretiert,es kommt aber darauf an sie zu verändern" - Karl Marx Translation: "Philosophers have only interpreted the world differently; what matters is to change it"

This is a quotation, which is inscribed on a wall at the entrance of Humboldt University of Berlin. I took this photograph during the time I was studying there as an exchange student. It is a quotation as it aims "to give as a reference, to cite as an authority" or "to copy or repeat exact words". Also, it can be considered as an epigraph since it is inscribed on a wall. German speakers can easily understand it and the ones familiar with the university’s history can form a connection between the university and Karl Marx considering Marx studied law at Humboldt University. Moreover, this quotation also functions as the university’s motto cause one can buy from the store inside the university building gifts or university sweatshirts which have the university logo and this quotation on them. It also functions as an epitaph since it aims to honour Marx as a former student. The letters "Vorsicht Stufe” (Mind the step) on the stairs leading to this epigraph also metaphorically asks for tolerance considering Germany's history with the former Marxist regime which turns this epigraph into a matter of discussion among the Berliners. 

Hey, I love you and I miss you but I need to rest. -Anonymous This is toilet graffiti, or in other words, a latrinalia that I found in the genderless restroom of Study Hall in Boğaziçi University South Campus. It is written with a marker and it can be understood by anyone that can speak English. It is written in a casual style with the greeting “Hey”. The person in the cabin leaves her/his message for the next users of the restroom with a witty attitude as the usage of the verb “rest” can be a pun that refers to the restroom itself. 

“How would Lubitsch do it?” 

I took this photograph while I was at a screening in Kino Babylon in Berlin, Mitte. This epigraph, which is described as “an inscription on a statue, stone or building”, on the wall of this old movie theater attracted my attention the most as it refers to the legendary director Ernst Lubitsch. The question itself “How would Lubitsch do it?” is a famous saying in the world of cinema as Billy Wilder also reveals in one of his interviews that he had the same question inscribed in his office. This question challenges most directors as they want to achieve the same success Lubitsch did. It also makes the audience think over Lubitsch, and his style. 

“How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice. "You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here.” - Lewis Carroll, Alice in the Wonderland

This is a quotation from Lewis Carroll’s well-known children’s novel Alice in the Wonderland. It can be considered as an epigraph as it is inscribed on a wall. I took this photograph during my visit to Shakespeare and Company bookstore in Paris. The bookstore was covered with different quotations extracted from different well-known literary works. It functions as a decoration for sure, but still, the notion of “madness” in the dialogue between the Cat and Alice made me think over my own presence in that bookstore. Are we the readers or possible purchasers of those books in that bookstore also mad? Considering that we enter into a new realm with every book that we read, one can say that the act of reading seems to be likened to the adventures Alice goes through in the Wonderland. Thus, besides its decorative function, the epigraph also encourages readers to purchase books from the bookstore with the meaning that it underlines.