Poetry Sunday: Siege
In 2005, I took a 15-day break from soldiering in Iraq to tour Germany with my wife. She flew into Frankfurt and met me there. We then took a train to Berlin and spent a day or two there before moving on to Hamburg. From Hamburg we went Cologne. Following the Rhine, we moved south to Heidelberg before making our way to Bavaria. We wrapped up our tour by dropping in on Augsburg and visiting Neuschwanstein Castle, and, finally, Rothenburg ob ter Tauber.
Image from Pixabay.
Rothenburg and Neuschwanstein are easily the highlight of our trip together. This medieval town has quite a history. We enjoyed the Night Watchman's Tour, but the Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum cut pieces of our hearts out. This tiny town has a lot of character.
After returning home, I was inspired to write the following poem, titled "Siege." Of course, you have to understand a little bit more about its history, which involves a Catholic siege during the Thirty Years' War and a U.S. bombing operation during World War II. It's amazing that the little town is still standing, but there it is. And now I give you "Siege," my tribute to one of the most interesting small towns in the world.
Siege
For Rothenburg ob der Tauber
For centuries you held the highest honor,
Avoided penetration. You erected walls
To protect you, walls which towered
Over your youth like umbrage
For lost souls. Then, heaven and hell
Be damned, you lost your life’s work
In a single day. The Hour Song sung
And the trading for the day almost done,
You settled in for the night. Not a grain
Of salt was wasted on your streets.
Your ramparts kept it hidden
And your children fed. Amazing
How so much history can change
In a fleeting moment. Your dire distress
In the day of your defense cast a powder
Of dry doubt upon your great white hope.
Having felt betrayed, you surrendered
And fell into burning despair, hungering
All the while for the end. It eluded you.
But today, having slept past your prime,
You stand like a monument to your defeat,
Your wrinkled old face reflecting years
Of weather and war and the whole world
Knows that, were it not for trepidation,
Endurance, gall, you would not be alive
To witness your own grand return
To yourself and that quiet place
Of exquisite repose.
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I'd love to visit Germany someday.
Nice words @blockurator. Cheers!
Thanks. I hope you get your wish. Germany is a great place. Beautiful castles and countryside.
Beautiful shot, and even more beautiful prose, @blockurator! Love your weird lit suggestions too. 😊
Thanks!
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In 2000 I went to a niece's wedding near Nancy, France. My sister and I made the journey and decided to begin and end our European expedition in Germany. We had a three-week auto tour: parts of Germany, France and Luxembourg. What impressed me was how fresh the memory of WWII was in the minds of many in Germany. Also, I was impressed by how the culture of northeastern France was influenced by Germany.
Overall, I contrasted the contemporary US impression of WWII--largely forgotten--with the European impression--still very present. It was an interesting contrast.
Your poem recalled for me some of those impressions.
I'm glad to have influenced you that way. It's nice to know that. I didn't realize there was such a disparity in how the war is remembered. I think to us in the U.S., we see it as a foreign war because it took place, with the exception of Pearl Harbor, in Europe. Of course, if you're European, the devastation was really close to home.
I was a history major in college and a social studies teacher later on, for about 6 years. So this aspect of the trip was significant for me. Your poem brought back especially memories of Ulm, an ancient city that became a Nazi stronghold in the '30s. The city suffered catastrophic bombing in 1944--about 80% of it was destroyed. So I guess it is logical that my sister and I would have seen many references to the war in Ulm.
See what poetry can do :)
Yes, that's why I write it. You're the first person to ever say that to me though. Good story. I like teachers.
I find it amazing that the allies won, raped and murdered millions of Germans after the war 6-9million dead and missing (not to mention the millions murdered by their own government). Some 3.2 million German citizens in Poland alone. And the population today born 50-60 years after still feels like the evil enemy. Now that is some powerful propaganda. The Chinese and Russians are responsible for 2-3x as many deaths and they live guilt free. Americans firebombed and nuked Japan they are heroes. England started bombing civilian targets in Germany 2 or 3 months before the blitz. England (arguably) created a man-made famine in India killing millions. (Churchill was a racist murderer, yet he is held as a hero) The war started because Poland was murdering ethnic Germans. All countries are equally guilty of horrendous acts and Germany bears the guilt of the world. Just my meaningless perspective.
Not meaningless. You're speaking to a conflicted pacifist. Conflicted only because I don't know how I would react if I had to confront war on my own turf.
As for colonialism--I've written books about the scourge of colonialism across the world. I've written about the horror of the atomic attack on Japan. One of my steemit posts addressed the Famine in India and Britain's colonial policy. A very influential book of my youth (actually a play) was Brecht's Mutter Courage. The enemies are war, aggression and greed. Powerful forces that benefit. The rest of us are just pawns.
As being one who has been to war... I agree we are pawns and the tragedies are unbearable yet, in a way I found a peace inside myself that I have never since been able to grasp. I could truly understand war at that point, be appalled by it, but I was grateful for it at the same time. So I completely understand the internal conflict. It is as natural as war itself. I would do it again, I don't want my children to go to war but then could they truly appreciate life? The easy part is accepting death (your own) the hard part is everyone elses.
I think people who aren't conflicted, may not be thinking very deeply. Nice to make your acquaintance.
Loved the background behind the poem.
Namaste, JaiChai
Thanks. Glad you liked it.
Really well done!
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It's always a pleasure to read one of your poems!
Thank you.
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A deep, almost mournful lament about a proud old girl that's stood the test of time! Beautiful!
Yes! Thank you.