Nostalgia

Every so often since returning to Chile, something will trigger a wave of nostalgia from my childhood. Often it is simply a sound, or a smell – such as the orange blossoms that float on the breeze these days. With that in mind, I wrote the following poem tonight.

Nostalgia

Sometimes it’s the sight of something forgotten,
The sting of remembered tears.
Sometimes it’s the scent that wafts on the breezes,
Bringing back all of those years.

Memories that birth a sweet smile or laughter,
The thrill of remembered joys.
Memories that tear at a wound that’s still healing,
Thoughts deafening with silent noise.

Often nostalgia slips in unexpected,
Stirring the depths of our soul.
The gladness, and sadness and wish-I-could-change-that …
All pieces that make up the whole

Of who we once were and what we once did,
Shaped into the person we are.
But memories are simply just that, they are memories –
It’s today’s dreams that carry us far.

-shg 11.08.07