Boxi Market

Gold cherry

By Ross_Lowe

Tue, 16 Feb 2021
  • 4898 reads
23 comments
 

You turned from the array of fruit

The rows of pretty flowers

To gaze deep into me

You turned from your thoughts

Of apple pies and soups

From the autumn colours

The autumn shapes

Your eyes met mine

Amongst the crowds

The watchers

The worriers

The pickers and perusers

Berlin, October, years ago

 

You sought comfort in warmth

The gifts of the harvest

To see you through

Oncoming winter days indoors

The turn of the seasons

You saw me drifting

Without hope that day

My eyes met yours

Embers, bonfire smoke

Watching

Worrying

Wandering and wondering

Berlin, October, years ago

 

You took me to your home

Among cobbled streets

Trees green, yellow, red

Leaves carpeting our approach

Up endless stairs, through doors

The key in the old lock

The welcoming warmth within

I hoped without expectation

Your hands, arms

Searching

Consoling

Exploring and wanting

Berlin, October, years ago

 

You fed me in your kitchen

Bread you’d made before

Dark brown bottled beer

Rugs across the old wooden floor

We re-began there, my love

So far from anything known

Your greeting familiar, anew

We knew without expectation

Our life, future

Wanting

Wishing

Unsure yet alive

Berlin, October, years ago

Certificate PG
Poem

Comments

Submitted by celticman on

the refrain echoes well of differrent days in your age. 

 

Submitted by Ross_Lowe on

Cheers Jack, thank you. I'm glad you felt that. I'm quite nostaligic, sometimes too much! 

 

Submitted by marandina on

You bring out the nostalgic aspect of this nicely with the refrain. The words paint a convincing and evocative picture.

 

Submitted by Ross_Lowe on

Thank you Paul. It's quite an evocative place and I know we won't always live here, so I think I'm trying to capture it a little, to keep it fresher in my mind for when we eventually leave. I'm not sure.

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

I really enjoyed reading this poem with its nostagia and could hear it read aloud.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Ross_Lowe on

Thank you Jenny, that's really kind of you to say so. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

 

Submitted by lenchenelf on

Like this, stripped back, unless essential to narrative, to allow a whimisical, but bold refrain. Like your use of repetition, alliteration throughout, a muted change of tense, or noun to verb in each stanza. Conjures up an idea of living, breathing re-kindling beauty without excess, Berlin as a functional, yet edgy framework, seasons and people roll on.

Best

Lena x

 

Submitted by Ross_Lowe on

Thank you for such a lovely response to my poem. I'm so glad it made you feel and see these things.
Berlin is very much like you describe it. We live in the old Eastern side of the city, which still visibly carries its harsher, more functional history along with it. It's a fascinating city (but then I think every city is in it's own way) and I enjoy being a part of it as it moves and grows. 

 

Submitted by Ewan on

Ihr wohnt in Berlin! Ich war da von 1982 bis 1992, Ich und meine Frau machen jedes Jahr einen Besuch, weil Die Stadt unser Hochzeitsplatz war. Veilleicht können wir nächsten mal ein paar Bierchen schöpfen!

This is an excellent poem. Well done!

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by Ross_Lowe on

Bitte entschuldigen Sie mein schreckliches Deutsch! 10 Jahre! Und was für zehn Jahre waren sie! Sie müssen so viele Geschichten haben. Wir sind seit fast zwei Jahren hier und werden noch ein weiteres Jahr hier sein.

Thanks Ewan, I'm glad you enjoyed the poem and apologies for my dreadful German! Beers would be great when you're next able to make it out here. We live in Friedrichschain. 

 

Submitted by Ewan on

Berlin will always be a special place for us. My wife and I both served 10 years at Teufelsberg, which I'm sure you've heard of by now.

Some beers will be great. We hope to be in Berlin when/if we are permitted to do so. We squeezed in a long weekend last August.

Bis dann.

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by Ewan on

this splendid evocation of a Berlin street-market in one of the more bohemian areas of the city is our Facebook and Twitter Pick of the Day. Please, dear readers, share and retweet if you enjoyed it too.

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by Ross_Lowe on

Thank you! This means a lot, and I'm so glad you liked it. 

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

this is beautiful - and it makes me want to visit Berlin even more - and imagine being in a crowd of people again - hard to remember! Great pick, well done

 

Submitted by Ross_Lowe on

It is a lovely feeling to be near people, to see and hear them, even if we all are wearing masks and keeping our distance. It's the best we can do for now, and it gives the stallholders a chance to keep things going. 
Thanks so much for your kind words for the poem, I'm really glad you got something from it.

 

Submitted by drew_gummerson on

I echo the above. Good poem. And I want to go to Berlin again....

 

Submitted by Ewan on

That's what all Berlin natives say, the literal meaning is everyone should come to Berlin once, the implication is that you never leave. My experience is that Berlin never leaves you.

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by Ross_Lowe on

I can only second this! For a Derbyshire lad far from home (especially while travel home is unlikely), I will always miss the countryside and greenery while I'm away but I'm really lucky to be currently living in such a vibrant, multi-cultural and historic place. The people, the city. It's not always easy but it's a great place to be.

 

Submitted by Ross_Lowe on

Thank you Drew. When you're next out this way, do let me know. It would be great to meet and share a beer or two.

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

My son and I were having a conversation about Berlin just this morning, during our first (outdoor, socially distanced) meet-up since Christmas.  He loves the place, his partner hates it, I've never been, so there are vague, hazy plans for 'when this is all over'.  This just makes me more determined to go!

Submitted by Ross_Lowe on

Haha!! It's not for everyone I guess, there is a definite Marmite element to it. My wife has found it harder to settle here; it's been a bigger culture shock coming from Toronto than it has for me coming from Derby. But I reckon you're right to want to see it for yourself! Put it on your list yes

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Not my idea of Berlin at all - had thought of it as cold and concrete - I love all the colours you put in my mind. And I could see and hear the key in the lock. I don't know how you did it, but everything  is so clear, like I just came back home from your market, with squirrel thoughts

 

Submitted by Ross_Lowe on

Oh don't you worry, there's plenty of brutalist concrete greyness to enjoy out here should you wish to! 
I'm really glad you liked this, and that it was nice and vivid for you. Thanks for your lovely comments, means a lot. yes