the burning bush on the hill
I can’t find it anymore
the photograph has disappeared
since you passed away
your nephew is a student now
no red car of yours
to pick him up
Obama is being interviewed today
and you’re not listening
the lady poet concludes
”maybe not being is good enough”
it isn’t good enough for me

( Louise Glück, ….maybe just not being is simply enough )

On Sunday, two days after the half-time anniversary of Nadine’s passing away, we were able to go and see her gravesite. And once again we brought some small plants and added them to the site. I planted a violet between the roots of her tree – not too obvious for the wardens of Degerloch cemetery.

Last Sunday we also spent time at our daughter’s grave and watched a robin coming to her grave three times within a couple of minutes, hopping around and picking up pips. We do not want to put any extrasensory meaning into this, but to us it was something very special.

Three weeks ago we had to get a new car and we chose one which has the same color as Nadine’s stadtmobil used to have when she went to see young Nick. I also decided to have her initials on the number plate plus the year she was born in: NR 1969.

Yet  sometimes when I look back to check if the car is really locking, that number and the NR make me feel a terrible sadness.