FIRST LOVE Poem by Arjen Duinker

And in the belly of the boat
The story roams of a young woman
Who on one of the Canary Islands
Got to know an unhappy man,
Who survived thanks to the export of his tomatoes
And sang of his tomatoes in tearful songs.

And the woman, she learnt the songs to please the man,
And the woman, she gave his tomatoes a place in her life...

Yet the man grew angry over this and said:
‘Go back to your parents, go back to your street,
Find someone who guides tourists,
Who gives tennis lessons, who can dive well
Or likes to drive around in a flashy car.
My tomatoes have nothing to do with you.'

And the young woman daily stands there staring,
Staring into the distance, and sings songs
For all the tomato boats she does not see.