The meaning of small in big matters
- Poem “Reisewege”, Trainride Germany – France
Reisewege
September 2025, Anna Vollmer
Eine Komposition aus Farben, Style, ein Tanz
der Bewegung, eine Dynamik einzigartig.
Drum herum und zwischendrin geschwungene
Geländer, Stücke vieler Mauern,
ein Gewimmel aus Wörtern fremder Länder,
Geräusche, Quietschen, Lärm.
Ein Zug fährt ein.
Eine kleine Menge Menschen will rein.
Ich steig ein.
Wir rollen los,
Der Zug ist groß.
All diese Leute,
in diesem Zug hier und heute
auf ihrem Weg mit ihrem Ziel,
eigenem Rhythmus und Ideen,
Sind auf ihrer individuellen Reise
Und verweilen trotzdem gemeinsam auf
besondere Weise in Zeit und Raum
ein Stück der Strecke, einen Teil der Reise.
Werden zu einer Komposition
sind zusammen und doch getrennt.
Teilen Wege, kreuzen, trennen sie,
bilden Gruppen einer Masse.
Fragen verwundert, verstehen.
Werden Teil der Menge
mit der wir von Bahnsteig zu Bahnsteig gehen,
obwohl wir weder Wörter noch Kultur
verstehen.
Leute warten, laufen, manche rennen,
zusammen und doch einzeln auf ihre Weise.
Gemeinsam und doch allein auf ihrer Reise.
Ein Rhythmus, eine Komposition
aus Farben, Klamotten, Hairstyles.
Reklame hier, Schilder dort,
eine Komposition einzigartig für den Moment,
einzigartig für diesen Ort.
Sind wir alle wir selbst und doch zusammen
unterwegs in dieser Welt.
2. Text “Vapor“
Vapor
Vapor is pushing up the lid. I watch, turn the energy down and wait. Again, vapor against the lid. I quickly lift the lid, turn the energy down and carefully leave a gap between pot rim and lid. I sit in the grass, on a meadow next to my hostel, in front of me a gas cooker with boiling water. I just arrived from a day of traveling, now finally at my destination in a valley surrounded by steep mountains. I think about my last days. A bit unfit, `cause I caught a cold, couldn’t hike, spent a night at a place where it felt like only Rolex lives with rich tourists only to take a train to keep going. I stare at the pot, water drums against the lid and vapor is pushing to get out. A breeze of cold wind passes me and the gas cooker, making a crackling sound at the gas flame. Vapor gets out and flies. It flies past me along the meadow, and for some seconds a vapor ring forms. Then another one and another one. They form and just a moment later the vapor is gone. Disappeared and mixed with the surrounding air. I watch in amazement. So far I have only seen Gandalf do those in the Hobbit or Lord of the rings. In my head I hear some distant adult voices from my childhood. “Oh yes, It is the little things that make life good.” I never entirely forgot it, but also never entirely understood. I just took it with me in the back of my memories. I took it with me, but didn’t expect to remember it now. Now between huge mountains, in a beautiful valley, on a big journey. Now? Really now? Yes, apparently! Right now, right here. `Cause even in the big moments its the small things that sum up to something bigger, its the small things that together create something beautiful. What is a mountain without the trees at the bottom, the valleys and waters, the rocks at the top and flowers in between? What is a mountain without the each single sprinkle of snow that sum up to a mass of white in winter? What is a hike without the each sigle grass, the flowers and birds? What is it without the views in between? What is a journey, what a destination without the travel to it? Without the people you meet? And without the places you pass? I think that is why I love going by train and why I love hiking up a mountain. Its the things you get to be part of, when you are on your way.
~ Anna Vollmer
Images:
3. Picture “Have a seat”, Majola Switzerland
4. Picture “Good journey!”, on the way to Taesch, Switzerland
5. Poem “Berge” and sketch of a moment in St. Moritz/Engadin, Switzerland
