Written piece
Across Where the Heart Grows Fonder
Kwabena Churchill-MOMC
Ghana
About this piece
"Across Where the Heart Grows Fonder" is a poem written to discuss the unifying spirit between countries through their efforts, shared thoughts, and the appreciation of each other's presence in every moment.
Across where Heart Grows fonder
Far from the borders,
and not far from home—
here we have come with steadfast hands
to hoist our cheers up into the wealth
of health — stop us if your flag
has no color.
Far from the seas,
and not far from the sky,
here we stable with molded wings,
to soar into the blues —
like stars gathering into galaxies —
we gather to lamp, not damp
our roots.
Far from the colors we hate,
and not far from who we are because of you,
here we have come to sit nearby,
to shield the shade in our shed —
to be near or to be not near,
that we do not bar to choose.
For ours is to be near, only.
And not to be or not to be, which isn't our question.
Far from a singular heart
and not far from the numbers of sand,
here, our steps aren't by one man,
but as fleets, as caravans of Egypt —
a line-up of felicity echoing in the
vertices of both maxi and mini villas.
Far from dreaming of someday,
and not far from waking to this day,
we tread on like a tortoise to
hear voices with heart and sense bitterness
with our eyes — walk with forged minds
and never slaughter our bloodlines
with stakes and rakes.