Ibiza and Farewell Archipelago

Today's two poems continue the unofficial series of poetry dealing with special places. The first one, Ibiza, was written about the island of Ibiza in the Mediterranean Sea. The island itself is a striking battleground of ancient culture dealing with the influx of modern-day entertainment, with its secluded coves and fields where advancement seems to have stopped a few centuries ago, and its bustling tourist centers to which nightclubs lure thousands of partygoers each day.

The second poem, Farewell Archipelago, was written about the island of Tenerife, in the Canary Islands Archipelago. The island of eternal spring, as it is sometimes called, has a very unique atmosphere and the local attitude is one of no-rush, there is always tomorrow to get done whatever needs to be done today. Shops and restaurants still close for 'siesta" in the afternoons, and the locals always seem to have time for a glass of brandy or wine, a friendly chat, and something tasty to munch on. Yet, if one stays long enough, this easy-going atmosphere can take its toll on one's mind. 

Ibiza

Wandering and lost

in the labyrinth of life

I arrived at your shores.

Your hard shell

the caves and rocky beaches

became my comfort zone -

though -

even the plants that grow out of your soil

have thorns.

Yet, they were my soft sheets

as I laid under your starry skies

each night refreshed by your scent

which, 

like opium enchants my soul.

Your windy roads, your rolling hills

the Carob trees and almond fields

your native people.

All that reminded me

that life is not lost - not yet

at least in this remote part of the world

where the madness ceased

for a fraction of the time.

I admire your resistance

your culture, your rhythm

your rocky land and your harsh people

but most of all

the way you stand up,

proudly

against the waves of change

amidst the madness of advancement.

Farewell Archipelago

As I stroll on the shores

black sand seeps between my toes.

The fig trees whisper in a gentle breeze

and down bellow the surface waters

only the octopus hears my secret thoughts.

Encased in my solitude

still, it feels like a thousand years

passes above my head with each dusk

with each dawn

I welcome in this rocky land.

The island of eternal spring

where time had died

only to return in small fractions

unable to alter

the tranquil flow amidst the hibiscus leaves.

I didn’t age a single day after so many years

the vacuum carefully crafted by your spirit

stole my anxieties, my inner battles.

Only now I come to realize...

Your mysteries, your dark spells

the power you hold over me -

- sheltering me, killing me inside!

 I have to leave, never to look back

never to return.