HELSINKI :: a long pier

At the end of a long pier
There is a platform
Out in the middle of the Baltic Sea.
A panorama of calm water
Lapping at frozen shores
Dulled beneath grey clouds
Moving incessantly,
Hiding secrets.

This platform overlooks islands
With bare trees and white snow.
There is a fortress,
Grey snow-capped stone walls
Forbidding entry.
There is an island with red buildings
Backdropped by snowy hills
Like a fairytale.

The silence is consummate
Save for the water
Against the rock
Or the mumbling of the
Occasional boat.
There is no other movement
From bird or man,
Just still black water.

Behind me, the main island
Has parks covered in white magic
And dark leafless trees
Await their rebirth.
Colourful buildings weather the cold.
It is a small place yet always
There are people going for walks
Alone, with a dog, with a lover.

HELSINKI :: winter

Snowflakes hover in the air
Riding gently on the breeze
Then settle cozily in your hair
As you try not to sneeze.

Winter coats the rooftops white
And streets are painted with snow
Helsinki is a beautiful sight
At dusk with lights aglow.

Those who brave the biting cold
Venture to the harbour
To the marketplace with items sold
I look upon with ardour.

Beyond, ships dock beside the shore
Seeking shelter from the sea
This cozy place, this is the core
The ocean is the key.

The buildings, painted yellow walls
And white roofs, welcome me in
As winds howl and winter falls
I am glad to go within.

COPENHAGEN :: enigma

Cyclists speed past
In a blur.
All black,
Head to toe,
Hair fanning out,
Turning off from
Main roads into
Lanes called home.

On clear days
The sky is
Brilliant blue,
The harbour’s colours
Shine in the
Canal’s reflections
Where yachts are moored,
Masts high.

But when it rains
A curtain of fog
Descends upon
The city
And across canals
The distant blur
Of blinking lights
in the mist.

Copenhagen,
I am not sure
What to think
of you
There is great beauty
By harbours and
In parks,
Along canals.

But you have
Blank windows
And unmarked
Houses,
Uninspiring roads,
Few cosy streets
Save lovely
Sidewalk cafés.

 

Maybe it is me –
I have not seen enough.
I do not appreciate
Your charm,
I ask for too much.
But in the end I wonder
If there is something
Missing.