July 16

I now see home through the eyes of non-kiwis

Those distant islands with a magical breeze

"New Zealand, I've heard it's beautiful there"

"It is", I tell them, as I begin to share

The unworldly freedoms, the childhood of smiles

The hazy summer beaches that stretch for miles

It dawns on me what a deal I've been dealt

Confirming an affection that I've always felt