Wednesday, December 9, 2009-

I couldn’t let go. I spent all day today thinking about my blog from last night. It consumed my thoughts and I felt that there was even more that I wanted to share about the realizations and experiences I've had on exchange. I didn’t want to simply write another entry with the stories and photographs, so instead I came up with a poem. I tried to keep it vague, simply because the emotions are more important than the words. I hope it makes sense. PS I don’t know what to title it, any suggestions??

Captive to a too perfect past

My feet struggle on this rugged path,

I keep my head held high but my heart hangs heavy.

Time is my trickster and his wine has me heady.

Moments so fast

They don't seem to last,

Hours so long

The clock must be wrong

Here all alone I must keep to my faith,

With the Devil on prowl, no Lion King’s safe.

It's one thing to preach, another to reach-

The greatness you're striving others to teach.

So take this chance to figure your fate

Don't expect that the road always points straight;

The route that you tread leads somewhere new,

Each person is different, it comes down to you

Gamble too late and your Heart's on your wrist

If this is all just a game, then the whole world's at Risk,

For this place is no Candyland,

And we could all use “Pass Go!”

Don't be Sorry for your hand

Simply go with the flow.

You see the Chess game of life is never black and white.

Yet, there isn’t a match if you don’t put up a fight.

So keep your cross and crown close, and take what you can,

Because Fate's a cold queen who won't spare her right man

This tour de force has its le miserable,

It's the price that I paid for the treasures I saw:

Highs so high

I thought I could fly,

Lows so low

I felt I could die.

Make the best of your lot because that's where life leads

The challenge to learn and to live, to love and to leave...

I've traveled the seas and have seen what's to see,

I've hiked to the mountains and stayed for a fee,

I've bathed in the rivers and climbed every tree,

I’ve swam with the whale and slept with the flea,

I’ve tempted the snake and been stung by the bee,

The earth's buried her secrets but I've dug up the key,

The treasures were golden but she gave them for free.

Now I’ve reached this far land still there's no guarantee,

When it comes to the future, well that's up to me...