East of the Don

by T.P. Wilkinson / December 8th, 2019

The bridge over the Don river in the city of Kalach-On-Don on the motorway of Volgograd – Rostov-On-Don (Russia)

where did she
think Eden found
not Monterey
not Nantucket Sound
nor from the Midlands,
Norfolk’s shores
nor hiding behind
pristeen, Dutch doors
The Elbe sleeping
its banks did reach
but could not lie
on the Spree’s
green beach.
Beyond Fontane
the Oder flowed
across the Weichsel
calm she rowed
further coach
by horse was towed
fantastic wars
were westward won
now peace
she sought
east of the Don.

T.P. Wilkinson, Dr. rer. pol. writes, teaches History and English, directs theatre and coaches cricket between the cradles of Heine and Saramago. He is author of Unbecoming American: A War Memoir and also Church Clothes, Land, Mission and the End of Apartheid in South Africa. Read other articles by T.P..

This article was posted on Sunday, December 8th, 2019 at 8:03am and is filed under Poetry.