POEM: Tropical Dream

I went to the edge of the precipice and was hypnotized as I looked across the sea to a land that called me by name
A land that beckoned with the lure of tranquility and peace of mind
So I took a flying leap of faith and landed in this other dimension
Where time stood still and sometimes reversed

A land where the lessons were wrapped in flowers like ginger, hibiscus and bird of paradise
Where you got a shiny new rainbow for every single day
And a breathtaking sunset to start every evening

A land where food was really food and came straight from the earth
And you could meet the fishermen when they came to shore with freshly caught tuna, marlin or dolphin
Where you could catch crab in your yard after it rained to add to your caliloo with fresh coconut milk
And where the beaches were tinted black from  volcanic eruptions long ago

You could look across the waters and see Marie Galant, Guadaloupe and the Saints islands
And hang out at the village bars drinking a carib beer or the local Red Cap rum
This land was filled with the sounds of Calypso, Zouke and Kompas
And its people were as strong and daring as their ancestors from many years back
Strong enough to survive the rugged, mountainous terrain which made up this land

Where the chains of slavery were broken and a rich and diverse culture was formed
And where sometimes French, English or Creole was spoken
I became one of its people
I bathed and washed clothes in the river
I healed myself in the sea

From my porch I could watch a cloudburst move across the ocean or cruise ships and yachts gliding by.

And the Les Espress Des Ile would pass by daily ferrying people between the French islands.
In the distance I could see playful dolphins leaping in and out of the water and occasionally you’d spot the tale of a giant sperm whale
Constantly blowing trade winds kept a serenade blowing through the wind chimes in my yard

And drinking water came from natural springs high in the mountains
Our day’s meal was cooked outside on a coal pot with coal from the nearby village
And I showered outside under the trees and  sky in a shower stall made with the rocks from the earth
At night you could see far away constellations and every star in the Milky Way

I learned everything there was to know about building a house and living a roots life in this tropical land
But eventually I had to return home so I stored this entire experience in a sacred spot in my heart
Where while sitting at a window staring at the fall leaves or watching the snow of a blizzard being dumped on the city

I could transport myself to a place that knew only sunshine, palm trees, warm smiles and a version of life so completely different that in order to comprehend its beauty

In order to feel the culture pulsating through your blood
In order to be able to know the fresh smell and vibrant rainbows that came after each rain shower and in order to know of the beauty everywhere that made your eyes dance in delight and the sounds that romanced your ears

In order to know this you’d either have to be there in the flesh or be dreaming a sweet, delicious, tropical dream of Dominica, where I left my heart