Flying north, homeward bound?
to the bright lights of the well-kept city
to snow-bound circles, pools of light in the darkness
shining from sturdy houses onto well-lit streets
where ice sparkles on windows and children
exhale frosty breath while
making snow angels
on white-carpeted lawns.
.
But my heart remains
where summer’s sun bakes the thirsty earth
on the opposing hemisphere
where barefoot children dance on dusty paths
and goats and cattle roam on the edge of pitted highways
here, where the African moon reclines on her back
for this is now
my home.
Written in response to Sadje’s What Do You See #59 photo prompt.
Image credit: Lolame @ Pixabay
(The image shows three Cranes flying in the evening sky. You can see a waning gibbous moon behind the birds)
luna's on line 
Great poem Chris. It seems you’ve been trying to come to terms with your move to South Africa?
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Not at all! I was bitten by the African bug even before we moved. Did it sound as though the lady did protest too much, perhaps?
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This is amazing Chris 👍
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Thank you! It’s so nice of you to say 🙂
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Oh my! Amazing!
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Thanks so much, Ramya 🙂
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This is amazing poem Chris. Home is where heart is and in your case in African open savanna’s. Thanks for joining in with this lovely poem
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Thanks, Sadje! It was such a pleasure, as ever 🙂 We’re a little removed from the savannas here in suburbia, but not in my imagination.
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You’re welcome. I am currently watching a program about Africa on CNN and it looks so amazing
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So many wonderful landscapes!
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Indeed. Maybe I can visit here one day.
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Mi casa es tu casa 🙂 …anytime
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Oh thanks Chris. ❤️💙💖💜
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Lovely poem, Chris! Wonderful imagery in both verses. Quite a contrast in the two environments!
I can be quite nostalgic about the snow angels and frosty breath of my youth, but I am happy quite happy living in South Florida where there are no icy windshields to scrape, no coats or mittens needed. 🙂 Have a great week!
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Thanks, Cheryl! I’m with you. Nostalgia has its place, but I’m delighted to have left the snow and ice behind! Have a great week too 🙂
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You speak of two loves, moon (of course) and your beloved home, and I love the way you traverse the seasons, and the seasons of your own life. Wonderful.
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Well said, Paul!
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Thank you very much Liz 🙂
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Thank you, Paul, that’s exactly it 🙂
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🙂
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I love this poem! *sharing*
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Thanks so much, Liz! 🙂
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Beautiful
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Thank you, Athira 🙂
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Always welcome
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Love it!!
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Thanks, Debra 🙂
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Love the mirroring, very effective. A beautiful poem, as usual!
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Thanks so much, Cath!
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Beautiful transcontinental journey. Such contrasting stanzas and yet I thought each could stand by itself, they were that good!
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So nice of you to say! Thanks, Matthew 🙂
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[…] Chris Hall; Home for the holidays […]
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I didn’t know you were in Africa Chris. This is beautiful. I feel even closer to you now. We almost see the same sunrise.😃
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Oh yes, Jude, these last 10 years, at almost the southern-most tip. Same sunrise, same beautiful African moon. 🙂
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😃🤗🤗
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Ohhh this is lovely….i so love it
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Oh, thank you, Mich. That’s a great complement 🙂
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Beautiful contrast in your verse, Chris!
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Thanks so much, Punam!
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What a beautiful way of portraying contrast…Loved this!
Also loved the lines -“Where summer’s sun bakes the thirsty earth/Where barefoot children dance on dusty paths”…mesmerising lines. Wonderful. 🙂
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Thank you so much, Goutam. I’m so pleased you enjoyed it.
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Your poem seems to have planted a seed of an idea in me again.. Thank you for that. 😀🙏
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Another one! Excellent. I look forward to reading 🙂
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🙂
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We were supposed to fly to Norway for Christmas… Ten days of obligatory quarantine hotel, 1500 Euros for being imprisoned, stopped those plans.
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Oh my word, that’s so expensive! So much of our lives is on hold at the moment.
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I like this so much
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Thanks, Gary 🙂
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I like the comparison of northern cold and southern warmth … nicely composed!
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Thanks, Kate! At this time of year, my thought always turn to my ‘old home’. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to Santa in the sun 😉
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I had a few ‘snow’ Christmases and enjoyed them, but then I always knew I’d return home 😦
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Definitely sounds like home!!!
~B
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Well, I’m only just down the road!
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[…] African moon has influenced my writing. Just last week, when I wrote Home for the Holidays in response to Sadje‘s What Do You See? prompt, our lovely moon popped up in the second […]
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