German Interludes
customs in Berlin
a venomous attitude
is he rude at home?
does he have a family?
has he ever smiled before?
city walking tour
with guide Silke Schlittermann
history unfolds
Topographie des Terrors
timeline of atrocities
don’t get run over
stay aware of where you are
Berlin has bike lanes
car and subway train traffic
street trams and buses fly by
plexiglass in ground
empty bookshelves underneath
remember the fire
“If they’ll burn books, they’ll burn souls”
that’s exactly what they did
quinoa salad
Auf die Hand Feinstes fast food
beet root and edamame
spring mix and small green apple
water to drink with this lunch
black licorice sticks
postcards for all four grandkids
blue Berlin neck scarves
gummy bears and schokolades
Kinder egg with a surprise
swindlers swaggering
Pickpockets people-picking
Maryjane-berlin dot com
colorful hair and tattoos
graffitied buildings
white asparagus
in season six weeks in spring
buttery in soup
never seen the light of day
green above ground, white below
Weidendammer Bridge
lovers’ names engraved on locks
fastened to the rails
authorities cut the locks
the love they symbolize lives
-Kim Johnson
Spree River Boat Ride
evening boat ride along Berlin’s Spree River
returning the greetings of festive Germans
drinking a Schweppes Bitter Lemon,
reveling in the pulse of this city, smiling at the locks on Weidendammer Bridge
returning the greetings of festive Germans
waving back to the stumbling partiers, benched old lovers, and blue-haired goths
reveling in the pulse of this city, smiling at the locks on Weidendammer Bridge
taking in the sunset, watching the dancers, admiring the scenic city
waving back to the stumbling partiers, benched old lovers, and blue-haired goths
German beer changes the attitude and sets the mood
taking in the sunset, watching the dancers, admiring the scenic city
realizing that happiness and merriment are universal
German beer changes the attitude and sets the mood
drinking a Schweppes Bitter Lemon
realizing that happiness and merriment are universal
evening boat ride along Berlin’s Spree River
-Kim Johnson
My Egg Cracked
my cherished German Kinder Egg cracked
shattered schokolade pieces around a surprise inside
crushed on one side, wrapping splitting open at side seams
rude German baggage security men reacted with sympathy
shattered schokolade pieces around a surprise inside
airport security made me empty the schokolade from my suitcase
rude German baggage security men reacted with sympathy
suddenly taken back to their childhood memories, grieving the egg
airport security made me empty the schokolade from my suitcase
angrily frowning at the world, like barking dogs threatening to maul passengers
suddenly taken back to their childhood memories, grieving the egg
from the wicked demands of adulthood back to the wonder of childhood
angrily frowning at the world, like barking dogs threatening to maul passengers
crushed on one side, wrapping splitting open at side seams
from the wicked demands of adulthood back to the wonder of childhood
my cherished German Kinder Egg cracked
-Kim Johnson
In Handwerksbrauerei Lemke Berlin 5-25-2019
eating red cabbage
white asparagus cream soup
raspberry sour beer
raisin pancake for dessert
friendly young German waiter
-Kim Johnson
A Travel Tanka
Passport Ready
I’m Germany bound.
passport: who is THAT person?
one small carry-on
clothes to exchange for new ones
a locking khaki backpack
traveling alone
looking for signs with my name
Berlin is waiting
host city, eager teachers
learning the tour leader ropes
-Kim Johnson
Challenge from Sarah Donovan: write a Tanka poem (5-7-5-7-7) or a Reverse Tanka poem (7-7-5-7-5) about a summer topic of your choice
estuary sanctuary
escape from the world and breathe
salt air, warm sun, gentle breeze
peaceful tidal creeks
from Goulds Inlet to East Beach
summer kayaking
salt air, warm sun, gentle breeze
peaceful tidal creeks
from Goulds Inlet to East Beach
summer kayaking
-Kim Johnson
Travel Mash-Up Poem using borrowed lines from John Burroughs and Thomas Hood
Unsmooth Landing
Serene, I fold my hands and wait (“Waiting,” John Burroughs)
E-Ticket ready, airport gate
Off to Berlin, red-eye boarding
Reading, writing, sleep affording
With eyelids heavy and red (“Song of the Shirt,” Thomas Hood)
19-B, neck pillow bed
Fast asleep, bumpy landing instead
Wait. Where am I?
Home, in bed.
-Kim Johnson, using borrowed lines from John Burroughs and Thomas Hood
An acrostic poem written for my daughter on the day of her graduation from The Bethany House, May 18, 2019, eleven months sober and every new day a victorious gift!
Mallory Michelle Meyer
Miracle
Artistic
Loved
Loving
Optimistic
Redeemed
Yielding
Merciful
Inspiring
Child of God
Holy Spirit-filled
Enthusiastic
Learned
Lionhearted
Extraordinary
Meditative
Empowered
Youthful
Endearing
Restored
-Kim Johnson
Travel Mashup Poetry using borrowed lines from Elizabeth Coatsworth
Daydreaming Fuels
The mind, stiffened with routine, stretches, floats (“From Cadillac Mountain”)
Castles surrounded by turrets and moats
Vineyards resplendently writing each line
Praise Dionysus, Greek God of Wine!
Eiffel Tower welcoming World’s Fair fans
Gustave’s lattice monument proudly stands
Colosseum commemorating gladiators fought
Titus’s wild animals and humans slaught
Beefeaters guarding the queen’s royal jewels
Anticipant travelers’ daydreaming fuels
-Kim Johnson, using borrowed line from Elizabeth Coatsworth, as noted
Common Threads 
Blessed Oblivion
travel journal
back to Covent Garden
street performer strums and sings
Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”
nine-year-old boy ten feet away
chubby Down Syndrome dancer
dances like no one’s watching
gray t-shirt, denim shorts, red Velcro sneakers, horn-rimmed glasses, blonde hair
jumps, spins, and sways,
OUT OF SYNC
immersed in the music
stealing the show
arms raised, face skewed skyward
oblivious to all else
IN SYNC
with the moment
loving life as so few do
– Kim Johnson