On travelling

They met us with allamanda flowers –
A touristy habit – blossoms float in the sacred
Rivers and lakes, but after we pay for the tickets
They let us observe their faith – the statue
Of Durga is so tall, so many people
Want to take pictures in front of it!
We say we seek authenticity,
But no hotel in the world is all inclusive –
Because trudging across mountains and palm forests,
Carefully exploring the craters of dormant volcanoes,
Observing the ebb and flow of the country’s economy
In the sugar museum (the guide brought us there), and
Buying spiced tea (the vanilla has no smell) –
We are hit with tourist melancholy – it seems
We haven’t seen anything significant – and all
Things that were revealed to us this summer
In Mauritius are not enough – something
Important is hidden from our eyes – despite that
We’ve visited dozens of countries –
But haven’t mastered travelling – the allure of a new land,
The failures, invader’s guilt, nostalgia, as if
We’d better live forever in the latitudes of our own
Winters – their bitterness so recognizable, so familiar.