Vienna
A Poem
A city that reminds me
Of a town,
Vienna,
The one with cool winds
And cooler heads.
On a Sunday,
Everyone gets a break,
The city shuts down,
As if on a curfew.
No shoppers or eaters
Roaming on the streets,
All establishments shut
And everyone stays home.
For an outsider
Vienna seems forlorn,
Like their city did during the lockdown.
But for insiders,
It is a paradise
As they enjoy time with family
At home.
Even on a Monday,
There is no hurry,
No running behind a bus or a train
No speed walking down the pathways.
Those going to the office or school,
Stroll at their pace,
Enjoying the winds
And the sun,
And their coffee in breaks.
They work at their pace
Enjoying the task at hand,
Undisturbed by the distractions,
As if in a mystic flow.
They cycle, calm and slow,
Not in a hurry to reach their destination
For them, the journey
Seems to be their destination.
Not formal wear,
No big cars or big frills
Just them in their shorts and ts
Going about their day
Like it’s a treat.
Living their lives
In a pause,
They teach me
How to take a break,
And learn how to walk slow,
To enjoy every moment,
Whether on vacation,
Or at work.
They teach me
To lessen my agendas
To leave behind the past
And let the future rest
To be in the present,
In this here and now.
I learn to sit still,
Immerse myself in the now,
Enjoy my surroundings,
And the words I read;
Stopping for a coffee
Every now and then.
