#48 Refuge

I mean, personally, I find it difficult to see
Why anyone on this Earth would become a refugee

After all, it's quite frankly plain to me

There's no place like home to be quite so homely

I mean, my parents are there, if I'm not feeling well

But for when I am, man, the place seems swell

I'm safe behind these walls, it's easy to tell

To never come back, now *that* would be hell

I mean, why would anyone want to depart

The place they hold as home in their heart

I mean, there are so many comforts, privileges too

This country cares for me but why should it care for you?

I mean, sure you'd be welcome to stay a little while

But don't you miss home? Oh, why don't you smile?

I mean, is it really that bad? Is it really that tough?

You've...given up your home. You've had enough.

I'm sorry. I guess. I mean. I can't really know.
What it's like to not have a home to which you can go.
I've been fortunate. Far more than I'm willing to admit.
Please, I'm so sorry, won't you come in for a bit?




This was a very quick poem (intentionally kept a bit short), done a while ago on the theme of refuge. The people I submitted it to thought it wasn't good enough though. Considering I think this is one of my favourite ones I've written so far, that's a little disheartening, but hey, just means I'll improve for next time.

#47 Welcome to Nostalgia

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm here to sell you one hell of an adventure
The only fear that I have is that you'll love too well it's splendour
You'll be enticed, drawn in, and instantly infatuated
As I present to you the boldest hypothetical ever instigated

Nostalgia. Where you can go back and live in the past
Go back to your birth or just re-eat this morning's good breakfast
In fact it can do both, and intertwine strands of time so fine
So that you'll align any personal timeline highlight you call mine

Yes re-relive your memories for only a minimal fee
We'll even add in this rose tinted filter for free
Oh, can't you see how much better your life could be here
Sure you can stay for a while, of that don't you fear

In fact some of our clientele stay for a long time indeed
They get almost defensive if you try to make them recede
After all it's comfortable here, what on Earth is the harm?
It's good for you, cover the pains of today with this temporal balm

Now I'm nothing if not honest, you see I did mention a price.
It's very small, practically minimal, but this virtuous land, it can be a vice
See while it's good to visit and remember where you came from first
It's like an elixir which can be addictive to those who develop fix for the thirst

But never mind that! Get lost in happy mis-memories and drink the present away
It's scary there, just a few sips and you'll return to a happier day
Maybe you'll come to love Nostalgia, maybe you'll never want to leave
Maybe Nostalgia is cruel, and your time it might just thieve

But aside from all that, why not come for a small trip?
Our drink is healthy, even doctors recommend the occasional small sip
Come on. What's the worst that could happen, do you really need much persuasion?
Come to Nostalgia. Give in to temptation.

#46 You are all

This is dedicated to anyone who's every found themselves apologising for no less a mortal sin than just being themself

Let me just start off by saying you all *the* most spectacular fantastic amazing interesting and intriguing *person*, that I have ever seen.
I realise that this might sound a little extreme, so let me take a step back to explain what I mean.

See I guess I'm a passionate guy, But I'd like to think I'm honest too
So I'd like to admit to being honest about being passionate about you
And by you I mean every human soul who I've been lucky enough to greet
You've all achieved this amazing goal, this amazingly crazy feat

And that's:
To manage to make your own way in this feral thing called life
To fight through all the perils and to fight through all the strife
To find beauty in areas that other people don't
To experience cares about things that other people wont

You've all got a past that belongs to no other
You've all seen life go by fast, you've all been a lover
You've all gone through great hardships, you've all gone through betrayal
You've all known what it's like to try you're very best and yet still somehow fail

You are individually wonderful, individually unique
Which all seems fascinating to this happy little freak
I know you do yourself down a lot, that's just how things are
But even when you're down, you're still wonderful, you are your own little star

What I guess I mean is, if you'll excuse me the rambling
Is that life is a game of risks, and I'm not very good at gambling
So I love to meet everyone who took the chance to advance down different paths in life decisions
Which I think is roughly everyone, estimating with fairly accurate precision

You have great personal stories and you've shown great personal strength
Strengths about which if I don't condense I am able to go on at great length
Because when I say you are the most spectacular fantastic amazing interesting and intriguing person, I honestly mean it to be true
But what I mean by that, what I'm trying to get to,

What I mean is that you're quite simply and wonderfully just you

So don't you ever let me catch you apologising for no less a triumph than simply being yourself.