A Home Away From Home

A home away from home,
Among the hills lies a lofty bower;
Where God does dwell in amity;
Amongst natural green and grey.

Every heart throbbed love,
Natural love so tender and rare;
Amongst one in a race;
Which has been his own foe.

Not a rut house but a home,
Where love and joy permeates;
Nonetheless, it never was so fair;
As good will and emotions dwelt.

Written in the year 1998, during my student years at Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Kohima. This poem reminisces the political and social turmoil that my home state, Nagaland, was in during the 90s. Despite this odd predicament, the community life afforded by this great institution was life-changing. It greatly helped me and my friends on a spiritual journey that moulded our future for good.

The brotherhood expressed by every member of that small community finds a cozy niche in this poem. Despite their varied culture and provenance, this jolly troupe grew as one happy family, making me feel that I was in “a home away from home”. It was a band of brothers cooped as a family, yet everyone far away from their loved ones.

This poem is an explication of my inner thoughts concerning the virtue of “Universal thought and Brotherhood” among all men. I owe my gratitude to this small band of brothers, wherever you are, for the love, support and hope that we fostered among ourselves and share it with those around us.