2 "Home" poems

Home Sweet Home

By: Antonina (Antosia) Léonard and Chloe Panzini

About the Authors: Both age 13, Antonina (Antosia) Léonard and Chloe Panzini are young “expats” living in Bangkok, Thailand. Antosia was born in Poland (Warsaw) but has lived in Madagascar, Réunion and Thailand.  She likes life in Thailand, but her heart is in Poland…

Home, a beautiful word that describes anywhere, anyone or anything

Some people fear it, and some use it as their reliable shield

Home, it’s welcoming and some may remember it by a saying

Or others while fighting on the battlefield

However, is that their definition?

Home, it’s recognizable flag may make you feel special and proud

Think of it as a simple symbol of your roots

Home, the place you have been connected to and could laugh loud

You may let your imagination grow and create it’s fruits,

Nevertheless, is that our definition?

Home, you feel its scent as soon as you step through the door

Or when you sit down to eat, and find your favorite meal, made from love

Home, a place where you want to grow old at, with that embracing odor,

Somewhere you could never get enough of,

Though, is that your definition?

Home, I can see it in my parent’s eyes, when I look at them

We can all see it in our brothers and sisters eyes

Home, I can see it in your smile, when you look at this poem

It’s a special piece of you, and it’s always a surprise

These were all of my definitions, or is there a proper one?

Artwork by Julia Weldon.

Home

For Maitreyi. And all the universes that can exist, because of them. Then, now, and ever after. 

By: Tong Wang

Home

 is kindness 

Stories of kindness 

Stories of a living relationship with kindness: sweet or bitter, simple or complex, paradoxes everywhere. Dangers of romanticization, traps of idealization, yearning and desiring, almost believing. 

If not for the wounds ready to open anytime, anywhere. Bursting into what. Ice or blood or ink. Or void. 

But dare we remember. 

Remembering kindness. 

Letting kindness. 

Patience in kindness 

and all their shortcomings. 

Trusting

Trusting the return 

The homecoming 

Through oneself 

And thus unto the world 

Everything that is waiting for you 

To come back

And notice 

Remember to remember 

Notice noticing  

Wow. We’re here. 

(Stupud)

How wondrous 

(One day perhaps we become an empty vessel again. 

That’s okay.)

Home is kindness. 

Acts, memories, messages. 

Wishes, blessings. From people, from trees, from somewhere terribly deep within the self. If there is such a thing. 

Let us remember. 

Then believe. 

Then feel. 

How warm. How moving. How simple. 

Home. 

I’m here. I’m back. 

or 

Hello. 

And

 see you soon, again. 

:||