A Poem for Isabel

In celebration of my 100th subscriber

Photo: Gregory Garretson

Hello, friends! Those of you who use the Substack app may have seen my announcement last week that, to celebrate Living Elsewhere reaching 100 subscribers, I would write a poem in honor of subscriber number 100.

Well, since then we have reached that goal, and Isabel, who has that distinction, accepted the offer. So here is my poem.

—Gregory

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“Poem for Isabel Ramírez Castañeda”

I offer this to Isabel:
I cannot say I know you well
But we who hear the siren’s song
Though nights in foreign climes are long
Abandoned home and crossed the sea
To live in Spain or Germany.

According to our young Ramírez 
Five years later on, what’s clear is
Elsewhere-life’s a full-time job
The loneliness can make us sob
Her Heimweh colors all her days
And makes her wonder why she stays.

But Señorita Castañeda
You’re the one that custom-made a
Life abroad across the sea, when 
Leaving Cali, you perceived
A possibility for you
To take a dream and make it true.

The water flows on everywhere
It pulls you onward if you dare
When feeling that you don’t belong
Remember we are millions strong
In London, Lisbon or Cologne
So please know you are not alone.

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