It is a self imposed exile I live
I magically hide
And protect myself
From feelings of deep love,
Of memories gone by,
How do I say goodbye
To this land and its people
That I know and love deeply:
The white toothy smiles
The majestic trees
Lining endless skies,
The powerful energy in the red roads
Dividing the thick bush
Making way for us,
Humans,
As we spread puffs of fairy dust
There is an immediate,
deep knowing
The moment we step foot on this land,
All the while being an outsider;
So I write, I share with you
My friends who know,
Who feel the same way
You are the ones who carry
The same Zambian heart,
Some of us
have had the opportunity to leave,
And some to even come back and share,
We’ve explored and encountered
The world and it’s people,
Its different ideas and ways,
Varied ways of life,
Freedoms of self expression
that we don’t always
have the privilege of living openly here,
So here we are today
As we continue our lives,
Scattered,
yet connected by our love
All of us growing older,
Together facing the natural course
of the impermanence of our stories
Natasha Devalia 