Poemas del río Wang: The bridge

Switch over to our new blog! • ¡Pásese a nuestro nuevo blog!

The renewed version of our blog, with more features, a richer design, and available in nine languages, can be read here: https://wangriver.com

The new version also includes the old posts, often in expanded form. If you are curious about the updated version of this post, replace “riowang.blogspot.com/” in the URL with “riowang.studiolum.com/”, and the new link will most likely lead you there.

La versión renovada de nuestro blog, con más herramientas, un diseño más rico y disponible en nueve idiomas, se puede leer aquí: https://riowang.com

La nueva versión también incluye las publicaciones antiguas, a menudo en una forma ampliada. Si tiene curiosidad por la versión actualizada de esta entrada, sustituya «riowang.blogspot.com/» en la URL por «riowang.studiolum.com/es/», y el nuevo enlace probablemente le llevará allí.

Maurice de Flaminck, The bridge (detail, s.d., 1890s). From the great Impressionist exhibition of Potsdam

We are having lunch in Neukölln, in a Turkish kebab house, with the Berlin sightseeing group. Twenty people are too many for the small canteen, we must join others at their tables. A meek little man is dining with his son, he opens up slowly, he speaks good English. They came from Aleppo, a life-threatening journey, crossing many borders. There is no wife and mother, it is not known where she was left, we do not dare to ask. The little boy is going to go to school, to refugee school, he already knows a few words in German, he proudly plays with the colored pencils received in advance. And then the inevitable: “And where are you from?” It is hard to speak the words, we do not know what memories they might bring with them from one of the many borders. “From Hungary.” The father translates it to his little son. The boy’s face brightens up, he lifts his colored pencil: “Hungary is friend!” Blessed be the name of the nameless one who gave him this impression of us.