I’m trying to fall in love with Berlin

but she keeps giving me the cold shoulder.

I offered flowers and chocolates

thinking maybe she’s an old school girl

but she ripped the flowers up and threw the chocolates

right into the river

 

which was a terrible waste of good German chocolate.

 

I tried ignoring her,

thought about maybe spending time with her friends

Hamburg and Leipzig

would make her jealous

would make her come to me

and unfold her pretty little legs

and let me love her

but she didn’t care about that,

 

instead just went about with her art making

walking naked down the East Side Gallery,

laughing too loud at the Brandenburg Gate

Throwing rocks at the glass buildings

in Potsdamer Platz

 

until finally I had no choice

but to fall to my knees and say

Goddamnit, Berlin, you’re killing me.

I love you, alright?

I love you.

Just stop being sorry for the war

and let me kiss your Wall

and let’s go get a burger

in Kruezberg and drink some dark beer

cause I love you

and I want you to love me back.

 

But Berlin narrows her eyes at me,

leans in

and whispers

harsh like a cat hissing

and she tells me to shut up

because

I don’t know shit about shit.

 

 

Ally Malinenko