By Ishmael von Heidrick-Barnes
(Legend says the German town of Esslingen am Neckar was spared being sacked and burned because a conquering general fell in love with a woman from the city.)
Esslingen
Hope is half-timbered
across the Neckar River
Minds float into eyes
before the miracle
named Esslingen
A 500 year old story
preserved as a city
talking out on
a limb
Rathaus red
stopping time in tracks
left
by soldiers saints troubadours
A renaissance of romance
worked out of wood
Nowhere
written
everywhere told:
The town
spared by love
The Swabian heart
conquering her conqueror
Grapeshot crushed into wine
climbing up stones
ears can still taste
chiming peacefully from steeples
Note: Swabia is a region of Germany.
Ishmael von Heidrick-Barnes was born and raised in San Diego, California. He attended Herbert Hoover High School and went on to study Religion and Theology at the University of San Diego. His book Intimate Geography, published by Ragged Sky Press, won the 2012 San Diego Book Award for Poetry. Ish, as he is known, has also written lyrics for German musicians Andrea Hörkens and Thomas Roderburg (Tender Art).
Latest posts by Ishmael von Heidrick-Barnes (see all)
- A Hand Without Teeth | Geo-Poetic Spaces - September 21, 2018
- Political Golf Tip #1 | Geo-Poetic Spaces - September 14, 2018
- Stonewall Jackson’s Arm | Geo-Poetic Spaces - September 7, 2018
Beautiful. Reminds me of my time in Tübingen as an exchange student (Schwobeländle!). Nice to see the classical German town and country scenes have not changed much.