marks of a wooden bench in the snow

Nelli Tanner

Carrying things yesterday made me think of…

area where I live is very near of a border of another country.

About seventy years ago there was a war.

People escaped from their homes to this side of the border.

Black and white images where people walk in a long line in snow.

In the snowbanks there are abandonded wooden beds,

tables,clothes, cutlery, shoes…

Under the furniture there are the names of the owner

and places where they are coming from.

Deep marks in the snow while dragging your belongings

when they become unbearable heavy.

What do you take with you from a place you leave behind?

Not just material or object wise.

Also sounds and athmospheres of a place,

they seem light to carry around.

But in the long run…might become extremely heavy.

Lately in the newspaper there have been a lot of stories

and images about this war.

Stories of building up a new home in a new village.

Stories of making it look like the house left behind.

Stories of home-sickness of 60 years.