A good serving of Solino

Whoever said that we learn things the best from movies, I’m sure they meant every word of it.

We had worked many hours on the wide-varied themes of Population in and out-flux and of the job-thriving Ruhr valley in the 70’s- the endless stretch of pristine land that were all ready to harvest black-gold from deep within the soils which led to many people from neighboring countries to move to Germany. Although a dirty job, I consider it only because one had to work under the earth without the cozy shine of the seamlessly glowing sun in dingy and damp underground locale where the only respite is when you strike Gold. (I’m once again referring Coal to Gold- a metaphor) Unemployed, strife ridden countries which thrived with many young and old lads- Poles, Turks, Italians, Spaniards and all alike moved to the land of opportunities.

This movie was screened as a part of the class activity so that we got a better insight of the theme under discussion.

The movie ,, Solino ” was fast paced and the crew comprised a few very recognizable Germans actors including the very talented Moritz Bleibtreu and Bernby Metschurat who was equally a promising actor.

The title usually speaks about the movie but by,, Solino ” none of us could get the big picture till we started watching ,, The Big Picture “ Although the sideline sounded like it was a promising movie - Brüder sind die engsten Freunde - und auch die bittersten Rivalen. (Brothers are the closest friends - and also the bitterest rivals )

In a sunny and lazy town Solino( Get, why the movie was named so ?) somewhere in the heel of Italy, the Amato Family decides to immigrate to the industrial region of Ruhr. The family of four- Gigi(Metschurat), Giancarlo(Bleibtreu) and their parents find the German way of living a stark contrast to their Italian way. Be it the living option, the jobs, the people, the food, the language were foreign to them. They did face difficulties like every emigrated family does in other soils.

In the Italian town of Solino from where the Amatos moved out, the young Gigi who adores a sweet girl of his age and promises to get Snow back to her from Germany while Snowing in that part of Italy was not a comfort they enjoyed. Although at the end of the movie, it’s shown that neither did it snow in Ruhr. While his brother, Giancarlo always eyed for the better things Gigi had and soon picks up the tendency of a kleptomaniac getting stuffs to woo the fairer sex and did fail many a times.

Soon the bread winner Amato, tired of the job swears not to work a day more in the dark mines and to that follows an exchange of words and expletives with his wife. The lady Amato who was tired of German culinary specialties plans to start an Italian Pizzeria (Named it Solino) so as to keep alive the palate of many other mine-working Italians. Soon Gigi befriends a usual customer who apparently happened to be a German director and picks up an interest for Photography. Giancarlo thrives on thieving little things from around the pizzeria.

The ties between the Parents and their sons go sour and awry and they part ways as Papa Amato wanted the intelligent Gigi to study about Food and cuisine and later help him with widening the hotel biz. But young Gigi yearned to be a Film maker while Giancarlo with no particular ambition, didn’t want to work further in the Pizzeria.

The duo soon move in with a girl and over time Gigi’s short film is selected for a film-festival but eventually the jealous Giancarlo take credit for it while Gigi is away looking after their ailing mother in Solino where he soon discovers back his roots with his childhood girlfriend and with her help put up a open theatre in the southern town screening his films. A happy ending where the ruptured hostile relationship between the brothers is set alright and also eventually Gigi finds happiness among his people, although he didn’t make the cut as a film-maker.

The movie was pragmatic and does a fair job of portraying the life in bustling Germany and in traditional Italy. Altogether it was a cinematic treat with a portion of Brother Drama, Love story and with plenty of music and Pizza flowing.

Sang

Mein Engel

I knew that the next day I wake up to, I would be taking part in the "Poetry Slam" competition.
But I was unprepared for it. Nothing around inspired me to write one until I was in the party.
The very idea of this poem struck me halfway while I was partying! Since it was the first time I was writing a poem in German, I had a friend to help me out.

Mein Engel 

Gestern war der schönsten Tag meines Lebens

Mein erste Party war einfach Klasse!

Gestern hab ich das Mädchen meiner Träume kennen gelernt

Ich muss ihnen aber alles erzählen, weil mein Herz vor liebe besoffen ist!

Sie stand vor dem Eingang und sah wie ein Engel aus!

und sofort fühlte ich mich komisch als ob ich eine Herz infarkt hätte

Lange Haare wie ein Fluß und blaue Augen wie der tiefste Meer der Welt

Ich habe mich sofort an Sie verloren

Es ist schon achtzehn stunden, seit dem ich Sie gesehen habe,

aber ich fühle mich als ob schon ein Jahr vergangen ist

Ich warte immer noch auf sie, mein Engel!

I was so happy to have not only penned one in German but also to have won the third prize in the competition.

For my English readers,

My Angel

Yesterday was the happiest day of my life
My first party was just great!
As I got to know the girl of my dreams
I have to tell her everything, because my heart was drunk in love!
She stood at the entrance and looked like an angel!
and I immediately felt weird as if I had a heart infarction
Long hair like a river and blue eyes like the deepest ocean in the world
I immediately lost to her
It is eighteen hours, since I saw her
But I feel as though a year has passed
I'm still waiting for her, my angel!

 

 

Beyond Silence

As the early rising sun silently whisked away the last trace of darkness, it crept through the windows and illuminated my room. Having had woken up at the crack of dawn and in an attempt to not wake up the rest, I tiptoed to fetch a movie title and play it. I have been a movie buff and had an innate interest to try new genres of film.

This movie when I picked off the rack seemed beyond interesting and it totally turned out be a complete entertainer. ‘’ Jenseits der Stille” ( Beyond silence ), a German movie packed with emotions and drama. Inexplicably, I would term it one of the best foreign films I’ve watched.

Beyond Silence impressed me in the way the story unfurled and the depiction of unified Germany’s cultural symbolism, the thematic depth pertaining to communication difficulties people face, the filial feelings and the unparalleled interests of the protagonist. The movie didn’t overtly stress on the intellectual issues but tried impressing the viewer’s emotional side. For that matter, I was totally blown away by the movie’s plot that I felt as animated that I could involve myself with the characters. I would rate it as a fast paced movie with traces of melodrama but a really a meaningful plot.

The cast did a perfect job of bringing out the true essence of the plot. The whole movie revolves around a girl’s divided world where she finds herself as the ears and mouth of her deaf-mute parents. A devoted daughter who balances between her family and also her interest to become a Clarinet player was well portrayed in the movie. The movie never loses insight of the complex human relationships and it ended on a perfect note.

My only lament would be that I couldn’t watch “Beyond Silence “in absolute silence owing to the morning hustles of the workaholic dad and diligent mom following their routine schedule like any other weekday.

One could construe my smile at the end of the movie as deeming it as a beautiful movie.

Desires

Above the thick green woods,

High, shone the silvery moon

Clear waters flowing below

Capturing it, marred by ripples

Mesmerizing it all was!

Smoke rose high from the chimney

In an attempt to engulf the surroundings,

But it did vanish in to thin air

Drinking the porridge at home were-

A family of three- a man, women and their kid

Happily consuming the frugal meal

Singing in the praise of Almighty

Content for the half filled bowl

Eyeing the kid helping

Himself to a spoonful

 Bedtime stories and lullaby

Under the vast expanse of sky

Stars blinking at the mortals below

Sound of woods like high and low notes

Snuggled closely to his mother!

More of a ritual, it had been!

But that day was an exception

As his mother started off with a tale,

The kid pointed to the moon

Sticking out like a fruit on the still tree

Pleading his logger dad to get him

The shiny fruit atop the branch!

Both faltering at the sudden whim

Of the now wailing kid

Losing all their attempts in pacifying him!

The couple was left pondering

Suddenly some one of the two,

Broke the silence and

Convinced the kid of theirs that-

“Santa would gift it to you!”

The other added,” Be a good kid!”

The merry old man from North Pole

Riding his sleigh pulled by Reindeer,

On the wintry eve of Christmas shall

Place it by your stocking!

Christmas passed, in fact

Many Christmases had passed

Never did the kid, now a six foot high boy-

Had his desire fulfilled!

Now, realizing his hollow desire!

Humans, intelligent creatures

Their desires-Unquenchable and incessant

Yearning for more and the impossible!

Their eyes deceiving them

But the thirst never dies!

A sizeable portion of their desires

May or may not get fulfilled

That doesn’t deter a soul!

Smitten they remain,

Dreaming for more

The taxi out of the dark side

I knew a family of four-

A decrepit man, his better half,

A lady who slogged all day 

Her brittle bones and hunchback a testimony

Of all that she’d been through

All for the sake of the vow of marriage

In their dilapidated house in countryside,

Their kids- a bit too old to be called kids!

Frail and lanky the son was, his sibling

A girl who seemed to have lost her charm, grace

No occasion made their lives better

None wore a smile on their face

Living on a stringent budget

Unable to fulfill their dreams

But masking reality,

Each acted like they were of

Princely origin and not paupers

I only could add, “True actors they were!”

Every day pronounced more trouble!

Mayhem in their lives

Not a day passed without a squabble

The decrepit man who‘d little power in him

Subjected the rest to blows and bruises

None intervened, none spoke against!

Yearning for light in their lives

Each prayed hard day and night

Dreamt off setting their self free

Of all the hardships

Just for a day, not more

No riches, no comfort! Just a day, no more!

Mere puppets in the hands of the man

For he was the sole breadwinner!

Subjugated strongly by him

Wrapped deep by fear

Played safe under him

None intervened, none spoke against!

How long could one be imposing?

It wouldn’t last for long!

I needn’t cite evidence for it!

I can already sense an outbreak

That day shall remain an epic

When they catch a taxi out of the dark side!

''Google enters teens!''

Google celebrated its 13th B'day on this Sept 27

As a kid, I’d learnt two things!
They’d literally changed my life
One- to learn to Google;
The other being- to master the art of ogling!

Google –revolutionized thoughts
Changed the perspective of everything
A true Einstein it is!
Never a Jack of all trades instead,a master of it all!

In a playground called Internet,
Google rules the roost!
You type it and laze around
While it takes the pain to redirect everything related

I remember whenever I was on tenterhook
Needed more than just worldly wisdom,
None of my ideas materializing
I knew I’d find a succour in Google

Men and women, think alike
When it comes to choosing,
Who the best is!
Unanimously, Google- the Smart one!

Cloud computing? Do I know that?
Many other marvelous stuffs outta Google,
Do I know them all?
Nay, Can I know all the many brilliant stuffs it gets out?

What better occasion than this to thank Google?
For it’s the mighty behemoth’s 13th B’day !
I’d love to tell it how I enjoy every service it offers
Youtube, Translate, Maps, Blogger, Android and all!

Back when I was 13,
I was a stripling unknown to all
I still ‘m someone with very little to tell about!
But, Google in its teen is already the undefeated!

I realize that I can write pages on Google!
Irresistible but little did you all know that,
I’ve got an assignment to do
I’d ‘ve to Google it!

Wishing that day 'd never dawned!

Wishing that day 'd never dawned!

Tick tock, tick tock rocked the giant pendulum clock

Hypnotizing, translating me to a period ages ago

Sort of time warp;

Memories of instances etched in my brain

Shuffling through every piercing instance,

Wishing that day had never dawned!

In chronological order- the very first voice from the past,

Ain’t nostalgic, for I was startled!

Kingly beast Dino that ruled over was wiped off

Was it any mean trick of a sorcerer?

Why couldn’t Eve resist the luscious bright red apple?

Only wishing that day had never dawned!

Civilization proliferated,

Tribes did increase

Crusades, genocides, WW, battles marred the world I didn’t know

Blood splatter, espionage, the highhandedness of axis powers

Countering them, the allies– Hitler, his cronies with quarter a moustache

Wishing that very day had never dawned!

How I was thrilled listening about Alexander, Caesar,

Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Aztecs, Indians;

Why couldn’t I’ve seen it all?

Wish it were all real like yesterday!

Couldn’t Shakespeare, Napoleon and the alike been my chums?

Alas, that day would never dawn!

Then came an era when the word – "Scientia”

Dispelled and warded off faiths and beliefs

Was it an arch enemy of church?  Well, Yeah!

Few enlightened –brutally murdered,

Silencing the intellectual rest

Wishing that day had never dawned!

Columbus, colonizers crossed the blue seas

Discovering America and other virgin lands

Living a king’s life;

Propagating slavery and trade,

Plundering, taking away the riches

Wishing that day had never dawned!

Three Mile Island, Krakatau, Haiti, Tsunami,

Great depression and an endless list of others

Ramshackl’d mankind and nature!

Why couldn’t the twelve children of the Year sense it earlier?

Couldn’t they’ve skipped a day?

Now I only wish that day had never dawned!

  

Having had enough of it,

With all my might, I sprang to life again,

Blinding my eyes, shutting my mind

Laid my imagination to rest

Popped an aspirin to set my pounding head

Equally wishing this day had never dawned!