Behind A Longing For Sun

Seven

Excitement surged as she turned the page.

"A New Beginning," read the chapter's title.

Suddenly she froze and tightened her grip.

She wanted to turn back the page

to her pampered life; her comfort zone

but gone was the piece of paper.

She was just grasping at thin air.

Her father's words rang in her ears.

"You are on your own now, Claudia."

The seven opening words of the chapter.

It was daunting, treading a new path.

Strong winds blew as she stepped forward.

It wasn’t going to be smooth sailing.

Saying a prayer, she embraced the future.

Claudia lifted her head and looked around -

unfamiliar faces and cultures, rich and diverse.

It was surreal being where she was;

university, an institution of the highest level.

She'd envisioned this in her younger days.

She pinched herself – it wasn’t a dream.

Wasn't it just yesterday that school began?

Worry lingered at the beginning of term.

Would she adapt, would she fit in?

She was responsible for grown-up things.

Finances, shopping – she wished she were wiser.

Mistakes were made and lessons were learnt;

about time to change her ignorant ways.

Independence was now hers, like never before.

Occasional phone calls came from miles away.

"I'm fine," she'd say, "don't worry now."

Fond recollections of home flitted her way.

Love and warmth - she missed it all.

Sometimes she awoke with a transient heartache.

Her dog was old, time ticked away.

She longed to stroke its fur again.

Claudia had much to discover about herself.

She realised just how little she knew.

The enchanting city opened many concealed doors.

An adventurous soul came to the surface.

Perspectives were changed and new hobbies emerged.

Here began her quest for self-discovery.

She looked forward to the journey ahead.

Winter poked its head around the corner.

Sunlight shone through the clouds of uncertainty.

Her strength grew with each passing day.

She loved the feeling of starting afresh;

this thrilling new chapter of her life.

It will change her, this she knew.

Seven more months and she'll be home.

* * *

So this is a poem written by my friend for her creative writing course, whom I shall not name due to Malaysian reasons.

It may not be the best of writing styles, but I like it. Because it shows reflects the feelings of most international students studying here in London. 

To discover ourselves; to improve ourselves; and to make the most out of our youth, so that we can look back without regrets. But at the same time, we must not forget our roots, for it is our home that makes us who we are. We must strive to balance the past and the present, to make the best for our future.

Sure you might say: "Anyone can write a poem with feelings." You might be even tempted to do so now. It is easy, no doubt.

But notice that this poem is a form of restrictive writing, with each stanza having 7 lines and each line having 7 words. I agree, it is still easy to write something like that, but the magic happens when you truly put effort into what we do: spending hours thinking of the perfect word or the perfect metaphor; ensuring that the mood of the poem shifts with each stanza etc. Only when there is a limit to our actions can our creativity truly shine through. We make the best of what we have to create a masterpiece.

And is that not the reason why we choose to study away from home? To step out of the care of our families and into the harsh world, so that we will merely get a taste of what being independent is truly about. But we survive, for we adapt to our new environment and make the most of our time here, and go home a new person.

Same but different, hopefully.

I should not steal the spotlight. Cya for now. 

PS Sorry for my previous post. Them moods. D: On a lighter note, here's another piece of literature:

Merry Xmas!!!