At the start of this month I was in Berlin leading a school group. On our first evening we visited an American diner for our evening meal and were pleasantly surprised to see a huge aquarium above us. This aquarium was situated in the Radisson Blu hotel in Karl Liebknecht Street and at almost 16 metres high was in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest free-standing cylindrical aquarium in the world. Sadly on the 16th December the aquarium "exploded". The extreme cold weather is being blamed.
Looking in at the warm water after walking around in minus temperatures made me long to sit in a hot bath. Feeling stressed with the weight of responsibility for so many children, on top of the overwhelming Christmas lights and anxiety provoked by being in a new place, made me genuinely wish to be in a calm, quiet space with no one else around.
FISH OUT OF WATER
Slowly crunching pizza crust. A million litres right above. Through bubbles of tranquillity Three thousand eyes look back at me. Canned sea seems a turquoise bliss Of safety, warmth and happiness, For wrapped in coat with gloves and scarf I envy those in this glass bath. No noise, no stress or rising bills Just fun filled fins and joyful gills. However has it come to this? An adult jealous of small fish For swimming care-free and at ease Round cylinder of calm and peace. Danke schön und Gute Nacht! I make a promise to come back. One last photo then outside Where temperature of minus five Steals my breath and stuns my brain Grit my teeth, then off again. Take the tram back to my bed To count the fish inside my head....
I woke up drenched in beads of sweat
My pillowcase was soaking wet
As though a tap had been left on
And every reservoir was gone.
Something didn’t feel quite right
Had something happened overnight?
The headlines on the TV screen
Confirmed my fears were genuine.
A crack had caused the tank to burst
Shards of glass, debris dispersed
Across the road now thick with ice.
Thank God no loss of human life
Though fifteen hundred frozen fish
Now lined Karl Liebknecht underneath.
Thanks for reading.
#berlin #germany #aquarium #radissonblu #autism #aspergers #autismacceptance #autismawareness #thisisautism #adultautism #lifeonthespectrum #autisticpoet
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