In the clustered hustle of an early day,
I stare along the Bächle
Surrounded by cobblestones,
Whilst culture seeps through every corner.

I inhale the sweet aroma
As steam reaches tip of my lips,
Bitterness of morning waking my heavy lids.
As I sit in my quaint kaffeetisch

Caramel shaded rings
Stained in designated placements
Of each rich artistic license
Painted on the canvas of my tisch.

Another sip,
Enveloping me in a warm hug
Of the salubrious morning air
Swirling the foamy cream at my quaint kaffeetisch.

Filled with stories of each decorated ring
The discovery of literary gold,
A rendezvous for star-crossed lovers,
Or a nest for contemplation and thought.

Apparitions visit me
Whispering their tales
While I watch the city waken
All recorded on my quaint kaffeetisch.

Another sip,
My quaint kaffetisch.

The moment
When you would
Give anything to be able
To cry again.

Heaving,
The mask glued on your face
Pasted on so tight, so well
That you cannot take it off.

Writhing,
The vegetation of happiness
Slowly rotting because
There are no tears to water it.

Weakening,
The fragile façade
Trembling against the edge
Of the will left in your teetering frame.

Breaking,
The painted glass
Covering the impurities,
Uncovering the bare, naked shards.

Release.

I assure you, I’ll know where I’m going at some point along the way.
Wandering beside the trickling water as my guide
While teetering on the edge of the sidewalk
Discovering my city.

I admit I’m lost
It wouldn’t be a first,
But I’m content within the antiquity
Melted with novelty coating the evening scenery.

I may seem lost,
But I’ve found my way
Building a bridge to a home
I had been missing this whole time.

A piece of myself left behind,
Is it possible to miss
What I never really had?
I am more lost than when I began.

I assure you, I’ll know where I’m going at some point along the way.

Oh dear Konstantin,
Your troubles are not worth worrying.
All will be put to rest
Give it due time.

My dear Konstantin,
Do you quarrel with the truth?
Pleading with the forsaken
To accept what cannot be…

Do not fear Konstantin
Unrequited emotions
Will only batter your soul,
So walk briskly and move on.

Fading
I see my reflection in the mirror
A stranger before me
Clouded and fogged
Distorting the image I once knew

Fading
The integrity I once held proudly
The innocence mangled
Broken. Damaged.
Smudging the precious family name

Fading
Missing opportunities floating by
Losing love and passion
It all shatters
The frame trembling to hold my life together

Fragile
My unmended heart stil so unresolved
Fading.

That desperate gasp you take
When you finally get a wisp of air
Sink into your lungs

Deep breaths
Take it easy before you
Panic at the sudden relief.

That’s what I feel
In this moment
Able to feel relief.

Will it be short lived?
Will I gain closure?
Only time will tell.