Re Poznan
the first time I ever saw the Baltic sea
you were reading in the sand lying next to me
a thousand polish bathers were on their feet
dancing in the shallows, wading in the deep
we walk back through the cobbled streets of old Poznan
a mother with her child watching us hold hands
the daughter whispers something that I don't understand
but I think I got the gist of what she meant
and I wish I'd let you know
what I thought it is she said
it doesn't make much sense to me
the tear I watched stain on your cheek
if I'd have known what would come
would I have stayed here all along?
I'm in over my head
and I miss you
behind the coloured buildings of the market square
plum vodka in a bar laughing with your friends
the sprit goes right through me but goes straight to your head
and suddenly the manager is making threats
the calm broken English of the paramedic
red and blue flashing, are you epileptic?
I knew if anything were to happen to you then
I'd never be able to live with myself
I couldn't stop shaking
even when you were awake
It doesn't make much sense to me
the tear I watched stain on your cheek
if I'd have known what would come
would I have stayed here all along?
I'm in all kinds of straits
and I miss you
American tourists on the train to Warsaw
they say it looks like Kansas, I'm feeling awful
you hand made me a chess set when I turned twenty one
and now we're not talking because of something I've done
the huge concrete building in the station square
I love the soviet design and I stop to stare
you smile at how we always seem to disagree
I hold out my hand and you stand next to me
I tell you that I'm sorry and we kiss in the summer heat
it doesn't make much sense to me,
the tear I watched stain on your cheek,
if I'd have known what would come,
would I have stayed here all along?
I'm in over my head
and I miss you.
I'm thinking about the time on the beach,
your reading poems I'm pretending to sleep,
the sense of being young,
who could care what else went on?
the rest I'll leave unsaid
sincerely Ezra