Musings of a Third Culture Kid » Poetry http://third-culture-kid.com A global nomad's blog Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:17:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v= en hourly 1 Special (a poem about cultural transition) http://third-culture-kid.com/2008/10/15/special-a-poem-about-transition/ http://third-culture-kid.com/2008/10/15/special-a-poem-about-transition/#comments Wed, 15 Oct 2008 03:51:44 +0000 THIRD CULTURE KID http://third-culture-kid.com/2008/10/15/special-a-poem-about-transition/

Last Monday I was special
fine hair
fair skin
I wished they wouldn’t touch, stare
my mother made beautiful clothes
with patterns from overseas.
That wasn’t home.

Today I am not special
plain hair
mottled skin
now I wish they’d look in my eyes
my mother makes outmoded clothes
with patterns ten years old.
Where is home?

© 2008 S D Haydon

This poem is about cultural transition, re-entry, reverse culture shock… all TCKs have experienced it, and know what it’s like. I went from being special in Africa, to very, very, ordinary (even downright unattractive) in my birth country.

I’ve also shared this at the My.TCKID Writers’ group, under Sharing Space.

]]> http://third-culture-kid.com/2008/10/15/special-a-poem-about-transition/feed/ 0 African memories http://third-culture-kid.com/2008/09/26/african-memories/ http://third-culture-kid.com/2008/09/26/african-memories/#comments Fri, 26 Sep 2008 11:11:20 +0000 THIRD CULTURE KID http://third-culture-kid.com/2008/09/26/african-memories/


How reliable are memories?

Africa
empty sky
dun earth
plain dwellings
few chairs
broken cars
hot sun
dusty cities
picked pockets

Africa
timeless space
rolling plains
shining faces
cheerful voices
jewel clothes
open arms
fragrant stew
fading memories

© 2008 S D Haydon
Acknowledgment is made of the assistance received as an Adelaide Centre for the Arts TAFE SA student in developing this poem.
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