October 22
11:53
Oslo
2014
I wait for you at the fountain across the theatre
A street-violinist plays “Cielito Lindo”
I can’t but think about forty three Mexican students missing in Guerrero
thousands of deaths –the North America drug war
a world happy with Mexico’s oil privatisation
Mexico to open a new embassy in Oslo
to seek inspiration in Norway’s oil strategy
downturn in the world’s energy sector
Total’s CEO dying today in a Moscow plane crash
What a mess!
12:01
Our eyes smile
I pack thoughts & phone in my bag
You greet me with a hug
We stroll the city discuss lunch
13:27
An eastern-european woman begs at the corner
where local policemen practice street combat
Oslo police does not carry guns
We smoke a cigarette share some news
14:09
People texts and walks in the rain
Most locals wear skinny jeans and flat shoes
This city hasn’t seen the sun for many days
Has the world seen it?
_____Adriana Citlali
XXII-X-MMXIV
NY Times 43 Missing Students, a Mass Grave and a Suspect: Mexico’s Police
Nice, like I have read your local news paper ~ The sun has been around here but its been a cold autumn season ~ Enjoyed this snapshot, thanks ~
Thanks, Grace. I have to confess that the title and the poem were influenced by my memory of the 1966 play by Emilio Carballido with the same title as my poem but originally written in spanish: Las noticias del día.
i like your little walk through of the day…the news of the moment and those you intersect with…its been cool here for sure…we have seen the sun though…the image of the poor lady by the police combat was one that really jumped out at me…
Thank you, Brian. I was a bit jumpy myself when I saw the police combat –before I figured out it was an exercise. It somehow made an impression on me today.
What a powerful last stanza you have written. Some days, as far as the noon goes, we don’t seem to see the sun. Our attention really is diverted oftentimes, isn’t it, by the happenings in the world & trying to have an enjoyable lunch.
Very true, Mary. Your interpretation agrees with the metaphorical meaning that I intended with that question at the end. Thanks for your feedback!
As i understand the overall health of Scandinavian countries.. per societal ways.. is much higher with their homogenous populations that seem to have less problems sharing the wealth…as it’s hard to imagine.. streets without guns of law enforcement in the US….at least where i live…
So i guess in someways.. even though.. the Northern Hemisphere Sun does not shine as brightly as places further south with bright sun.. with conflict of armed ways.. instead.. no matter how bright the sun shines.. the heart grows dim with conflict…
So yeah.. we do have to accept what we cannot change and live the best lives we can.. and appreciate the little lunches and connections of life that truly make life.. life.. instead of worries.. that we can never change.. with concern and sadness alone…:)
I agree, there are things we cannot change, there are things we can. I believe, like you, that we have to appreciate those moments that life puts I front for us to enjoy but we also have to know how life is treating others and do something’s if we can –even if all we can do is to write about it and spread the news.
Agree with the last paragraph of the above(katiemiafrederick) …The most successful way to live.
Yes.. The news always seem so bad, but when we meet people we see it’s mostly normal.. The darkness of Scandinavia gets to you though… Maybe it’s good to have a police not carrying guns.
What a wonderful treatment of the prompt! You made it personal, social and global all at the same time.
“Oslo police does not carry guns”…a striking image….
nice images and i like how bring it all together in the end…has the world seen the sun? i think yes but we are yet ti feel its warmth
i love the heart of daily living being surrounded by the world’s disaster in your piece… shows the hope of moving on through the pains of life… beautiful job here
I like the contrast of the severity of the news with your stroll through the city. It makes me think of the fact that life goes on…and we are helpless to avoid some of the attrocities that go on in the world.
Interesting experiment with the style – the timeline adds to it. Very well done.
Thanks for noticing the style, i thought of it as a chronicle of the news of my day.
I like how you mixed world news and personal life. It seems so natural. Well-done! I have never been to Oslo but would love to visit.
Thank you, Gabriella. Oslo is nice but better in the summer than the fall –too many clouds these days.
The deaths in Mexico within the drug war have been horrible. Your last question – is that literal or figurative? I know that a figurative sun (good news) exists in the world but the news outlets overlook it way too often.
Very nice poem.
I guess i was trying to play with the question and let it be both literal and figurative.
Well done. I like how you were able to have be both.
Thanks! 🙂
A really nice marriage of world news and personal news.
love how the poem is structured adriana – little snapshots and made me think of all the other things that happen at the same time at different places – the big and small and random things – things like the ceo’s death that will make it to the news – others that no one barely notices… glad you saw that woman
I could really visualize this….and the last line really sums things up.