NORMAL LIFE: Poem - The Days In Finland

Written by myself...

I arrived in Finland on the first day of November 2001 when it snowed
Within days, I started work, relieved to have somewhere to go
Winter in Finland can be a miserable place
But I came to love it, adapting to the pace

I lived in Tampere, one of the smallest places on Earth
Wondering 'What have I done?', feeling like a bloody stupid jerk
But I persevered, growing stronger each day
Meeting my first Finnish love early one bright Spring day

The season began, and people ‘magically’ appeared
That first summer, I met people whom I still hold dear
I quickly discovered mämmi, koskenkorva and korvapuusti
Lacritsi jäätelö, karjalanpiirakka, punajuuri salaatti

Finland itself is not flat like Denmark
It's landscape, so beautiful, is worthy of remark;
The forest, so green, the lakes ashimmer
I still remember the reflection on the water, making my face glimmer

For, at one with nature, one felt so calm
Without realizing, ‘Finnishness’ had entered my heart

When light began to recede at the end of that first summer
That 'What have I done?' feeling returned, blowing me asunder
It didn't affect me so much as the others
Who downed red wine as though it were water

People survive in their own ways
Waiting for the light to return to the days
But Christmas comes first, that most famous of Finns;
Father Christmas bringing joy to all of our kin

Spring came back, an annual cycle complete
Seven years on, I'm still amazed at how the seasons meet

The language itself is logical enough
My favourite word being äyriäsiä
The first word I learnt was, in fact, yrjö
Which, just like a hangover, makes your mouth go uurgh.

I remember the lessons, my teacher telling me to never ask why?
But is it 'Hän ampua polisin' or 'Hän ampua polisia' when the officer had to die?
Muutta jos sinulla on tuo, se ja nuo
Sinun pitaisi sano tuolla, siellä ja nuolla, no?

Don't start me off on the six verb types, fourteen tenses and whatnot
But be assured that my Finnish will not be easily forgot
I've spoken enough and soon I'll be goneBut this is that thing called life, it's elämä on!