Lindau, Germany

The Shangri-La of Western lands
A Heaven forged on hither shore
In sleeping sanctity it stands
To dream of peace for evermore

By Constance cradled lovingly
By Alpine breezes softly wooed
To blossom roses blushingly
Eternal Romance's prelude

A rainbow midst the trees dissolved
As velvet hues adorn the streets
The summer of its sins absolved
The red sun rippling water meets

The Lake opens its heart to Night
A frost embraces all its span
And drinking in this blissful sight
Are lights of Nature and of Man

The houses and the chapels speak
With voices carved in aging stone
Of wooden chairs subdued and meek
And of the rich and pompous throne

I walk the streets and ancient mists
Engulf me in their golden swirl
With bonds of wonder on my wrists
My mind an incoherent whirl

A mockery of Fancy's Flight
The truth so ethereal seems
In waking life I tasted Light
But fair Lindau forever dreams

Author's Note

Lindau is a beautiful town on the shores of Lake Constance, near the southern border of Germany. From Insel Harbour in Lindau, it is possible to see, on the other side of the lake, the Austrian town of Bregenz, the Swiss Alps and a part of Lichtenstein. I had the immense good fortune to spend a week there, in July 2008. One week in Lindau, and I have never been the same again.

Reviews

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

It is obvious that you spend a great deal of time writing and rewriting and perfecting your work. Like a painter, you add color, take a little away, and add a little more until you are satisfied that your work is perfect.

In Stanza 3, Last Line, you deviated from your otherwise perfect meter of 8 syllables per line, as this line has 9 syllables. Mind you, it doesn't detract from the content of the poem itself. However, I know you want the entirety to be as perfectly writ as the rest.

I love the introduction to Lindau "...To dream of peace for evermore," which concludes beautifully with "...But fair Lindau forever dreams."

Your poem was inspiration enough for me to seek images of Lindau, and it is indeed beautiful, particularly the harbor and the architecture.

In Stanza 3, Line 2: "As velvets hues adorn the streets," I would also remove the 's' from velvets.

I love how you hone your poems, a whittling of words to whisper to the heart.

Linda Marie Van Tassell

[J. J. Nightingale]

Your descriptions capture the imagination .. Thanks for this journey to a most beautiful old world Town ...

Jasmine ..

Beautiful captured poem here my friend.... it's so clear you enjoyed your time in Europe, this poem says it all. Your imagery flows, with the things you saw, and you tell it right here perfectly to the other continents. I love every word, thank you. Into my favorites :D

~ Elisa Laura

[J. Marc]

Looks like the week in Lindau was very romantic or at least incredibly inspiring! Reading your other works however, I sense that in this wandering and sublime gaze over Nature is also Indian, am I wrong?

[Coyote Poetry]

The poem is beautiful. I was station outside of Stuttgard for three years. Germany had so many beautiful cities. My best days of my life was roaming Germany and finding the peaceful and hidden beauty of Germany. Poem tells a very good story. A excellent poem.
Coyote

[Middling]

I've never been to or heard of Lindau in Germany, but the wrote your poem i feel like i want to visit it.

[Tomás Ó C..]

Wow... now I want to go there... I loe the old style of your writings, the flow and rhyme... timeless...

[Ashley.M.E]

This is a reallt good poem, all can say, well done.

[Abdul Aziz]

And this poem has been the closest I've been to Lindau :)
I do believe your writes are growing in their splendour, and your artistry is increasing at quite a fast pace! The meter is almost inch perfect, and the rhymes are ethereal. You make me wish I visit Lindau. I have no cpmplaints with this poem, regarding either the structure or the content.
Another job well done!

[Dinesh Sairam]

"The Lake opens its heart to Night
A frost embraces all its span"

"In waking life I tasted Light"

"A rainbow midst the trees dissolved"

"Eternal romances prelude"

Seems like I could go on quoting! You and Abdul, both write 'beautiful' poems. The kind that makes you wanna be in the place of the poet. Keep writing.