Some recent poetry

My departure marked an apex in my life; it was a departure on a plane but also from a life I was leaving behind, a life I would gaze upon fondly through the glass of nostalgia, a life that was over forever. It was time to become an adult, I had no choice; no one would be there to shelter my eyes from what I may not want to see; no one would be there to hold my hand and guard me from the dangers of a massive, intimidating world. This was my time to face the world alone; confident and brave. I dived into an experience that can not be translated from my eyes, ears, and heart onto paper. No words could describe the experience of it all, being outside of one’s comfortable sphere so profoundly--unable to communicate, navigate, or escape--forced instead to push forward unafraid and undaunted. The images I have seen are of love and hate; true, unadulterated joy, and despair; and wealth seemingly mocking the poverty that it served to highlight. Africa is not a continent of darkness; Botswana is a place, a family’s home, not like my own home, no better, no worse, only different. These images, thoughts, feelings, like treasures discovered in my own mind long buried and forgotten, are things that should be shared. Words, and images, and new understanding that should not, that cannot be kept silent. I hope now that my words from my heart will engage others. I hope my words will begin to thaw the icy walls of assumption, prejudice, fear, and misunderstanding that have, for too long, torn two worlds, full of people just the same, apart unnecessarily.