This poem’s prompt was ‘abroad’, and it made me think of the feelings inside, the wanderlust, the urge to explore and travel. I spent much of my childhood visiting new places – France, Spain, Portugal, Australia, America, and more besides. But since my early twenties I’ve not had the chance to explore outside my lil’ old home of the UK. That isn’t to say I haven’t explored – just not outside my own country since then.

That isn’t to say I won’t go off to explore again, but for now, it’s working out where and when. It’s not like many of us can just jump in a car and go (however much we want to sometimes). 

I know deep down inside I’m itching to travel. I can’t help it – my eyes always drift to the horizon and wonder what the world is like out there, whether there are people I’ve yet to meet and places I’ll go and have adventures in. I’ve never been content to stay where I am all the time, even if I’m a bit of a stickler for my comfort zone. Having lived for a fair few months outside the UK I know I’ll always come back here – it’s my home, but a bit of travel surely wouldn’t hurt… 

But that’s in the future for now, and today I’m writing a poem about travel – and not just about travelling the world itself.

Here it is – I hope you enjoy.

One Way to Go

What is this fascination with wanderlust days
Staring at the horizon and its hazy ways
The climb up above to the pinnacle top
And then staring down to the dizzying drop

Seeing people below, like ants slipping by
Going about their ways with hello and goodbye
I like watching the dots, move this way and that
Though I stay far from the edge, for fear I’ll go splat

The boats on the water sway away in the bay
Sails like clouds against the dawn of the day
I sit watching the sun rise and set once again
My soul itching to travel down well-worn lanes

Perhaps I’m more than a lost soul, a traveller instead
Eager to fly to places my eyes have only read
But how can I think this is anything new?
Thinking of the lands our ancient kin have walked through?

It is the human condition to stretch out to the horizon
North, South, East or West, we become new denizens
Exploring every corner of our rounded world
This globe the home of the brave and the bold

Now as we cover every inch of this place
There is only one way to go… as we stare up at space.

Kate @ Kandid Chronicles x