Hamburg Harbor Hymn

Techno sea god ziggurat —

sentinel of rain and iron,

Witness to the harbor’s restless hymn.

What weather sprites descend today?

Their breath churns turbines into song,

Wind-whipped blades never cease their turning.

Cranes rise tireless from the water’s edge,

Industrial and cold, bowing to no deity but labor itself.

Who comes to pay respects?

Not the cruise ship pilgrims,

Their chubby faces turned from the storm — hurrying inside

But the rain, the wind, and the workers endure

Their devotion etched in weathered hands.

How does one send an offering?

Upon arrival, we find, the way is blocked.

Not the cathedral to aqua we thought.