Berlin is dirty
Berlin is loud
Berlin makes promises
Look at those clouds
Falling slower with the seconds ticking

Licking my lips
Because of the different smells at every corner
It’s Sunday after all
This week is closing down at the fall
No, dear sir, no sugar for my coffee
You have to order an extra water to get one
Because we’re in Berlin
We’re not in Vienna

I could be already waiting in the queue
One hour before the doors will open
Instead, I’m enjoying one café au lait
With table water that I had to order
Because, well, you already know
We’re not in Vienna
We are in Berlin

There is this special smell hanging in the air
Of that dirty Berlin
It’s a mixture of
    rotting fruit
        waste
            rubbish
                blood, sweat, tears and especially
                    smoke

Seemingly every second Berliner smokes
    (not just cigarettes, you know)
And outside on the streets all Berliners smoke
That’s a great equation, isn’t it?
Because, when you put one and one together
Id est, my two premises
To the following conclusion:

Only smoking Berliners go outside

This is the logic I live for
This is the life I came to Berlin to
    (and not to Vienna)
Heading back tomorrow smelling of:
    smoke
        Hamburgers
            Fried potatoes and
                Curry wurst

So
    the Berlin life will stay with me for the coming week
    how meek!

        © Dominik Alexander / 2022