This is my first piece for Plumae, a writers club for literary migrants in Kuwait. The assignment was to write a couple of epistle poems.

Grateful
 
An Epistle Poem to my Ambassador, Robert Tyson

Bob, I'm reassured
To have an ambassador with a name like yours
A lot has happened in the time I have been here
I have seen many things
Travelled to many countries
Loved, lost
Skied the axis of evil,
Walked, ridden
And acclimatised.

Robert Tyson, I am not looking for a leader or
Answers
But a reminder.
Yes I have been good and
Made the most of this opportunity
Thrown myself out there but
Ambassador
It's been 10 months and I'm getting
Used to it.

The window is open,
The refreshing breeze carries Friday's prayers.
This, and so many other things don't scare me anymore.
I am not shocked
When a black cloaked woman walks by
When a plainly untrained
Driver
Cuts me off
At 120km/h
When someone at work , as part of his job,
Tries to make me tea
When the haris greets me with such
Impossible politeness and downright
Servility each morning and night
When my Filipino peers address me as
'Sir'
A word no one uses in my culture unless making
A particularly strong effort to quell a policeman
When I find myself
About to say something
Then realise it's better not to say
It
Here

Bob, I am grateful for your
Three letter name
It's another reminder of home
Of a world predictable
Of a life I had
And if I'm honest want to have again
Of a place I fear I am
Transforming away from
 
For the respite from peer pressured alcoholism
I am though grateful

Wilfred Waters 2014