Here And There Poem by Raj Arumugam

(i)

The migrant has many wounds to tend
and in his heart much healing to be done;
there is a long distance he has to travel inside
and triple that to come out.
He offers his apologies to the new country,
and to the old, and he must withdraw
some time now within to understand
from whence and why those incoherent vibrations own him.



(ii)

It is no fault of the place, here or there
or of the people anywhere
for tensions
and contradictions always
abound in a heart and mind
that have lived a long inner life and there
is much need for resolution and compromise.
There are multiple voices that lay claim to one spirit
and there is much need for peace for the soul
to wage its battle within undisturbed.

Things can all fail and the day
be filled with disappointments
and unfulfilled desires and
not a single step towards one's wants;
so it shall seem that all things collapse
and this day is lost and all days gone.
So it shall seem -
but hold on, hang on,
and there shall be respite yet
for the weary traveller, the tired migrant.

Oh put your hands on your tummy
and hang on to your guts
feel your
inner self and be strong
be self-sufficient
for that shall see you refreshed and strong
for another battle yet
of many battles that must be fought
before certainty cometh.


(from The Migrant - notes of a newcomer (February 1997- July 1998))