The Linden Trees Are Still in Blossom

Nina, the linden trees are blooming
The kettle on the stove is boiling
I take my tea just like Proust
Traveling backwards to my youth
Munching on a madeleine

Your email bounced last time I tried
And you hated social media more than I
Did we just slowly fizzle out?
Or did I leave you with a doubt?
We'd reached the end of the line

In high school, I briefly studied German
They told us a German class was searching
For pen pals to exchange languages
The teacher lеft a letter on my desk
It had a drawing of Pee-wee Herman

And that's all it took to make a friend then
One day, you asked me to come to Berlin
I've told that story more times than I can count
But it still gets me laughing

Someone asked if I'd made you up
Said, "Who cares these days who you love?"
But in Texas and Brazil
People knew that you were real
They'd seen the story played out rough

And this was ten years before Orlando
This was thirteen years before Tranemo
Before the Russian gay laws
Before Viktor Orbán put his paws
On the colors of the rainbow

Sometimes, I think about your father
How he turned 180 soon after
I hope you've been able to reconcile
It must be hard, but I know you tried
If you see him, please say hi

And every time my heart is hurting
I think of the linden trees in Berlin
Drinking Fritz-Kola with you sleeping on my shoulder
Under the shade in Tiergarten

I know all stories have an ending
But if you're out there somewhere listening
Send me a postcard if you want
No hard feelings if you don't
Your old friend, Jens Lekman