Home?

A school of 15 years,

A basketball court of 15 injuries,

the railings by the canteen of 15 love stories.

Not

my house of lies,

Fights,

Cries,

More than 15.

It became Romana’s

house,

A nap anytime,

A stomach full, chocolate biscuit pudding and sausage rolls,

all the time,

more than 15 times.

Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.,

The United States of America,

home of dreams,

opportunity,

(Derrick Rose),

prosperity,

but not my home.

Not palm trees, soft loud beaches, monkeys and peacocks and elephants,

Red, in my food, chili, spice, burns so good,

not in D.C.

Then, lights flaring, sirens blaring, mask wearing, hand sanitizing,

Leave, go, permanent address, go anywhere, safe,

Nowhere is safe,

Go home.

What?

Home is where the heart? is,

No,

Routine, convenience, a dash of occasional drama,

My matchbox VCE dorm room, own bathroom,

Vending machine across and down,

Saturday sleep in, Sunday, study, best-case Bioethics, worst-case Lau,

In, participate, out,

Home is who the heart? is

Oh.

The more than 15 people that have texted you,

Love,

Assurance,

Their homes,

The more than 15 people that you are landing to,

Love,

Assurance,

Their homes.

Sitting in a conference room, COVID-19 wrecking havoc in the background, there was a bird on a branch outside the window,

I looked at Emma,

in the week we’ve known each other I discovered she’s a bird girl (adjacent),

She smiled,

That’s who,

These are the moments that make up the what,

The who, the where,

the

home.

These are tough times.

Thank you for sending those texts,

If you’re ever in doubt, with anyone, send that text.

ak