Tuesday, May 31, 2016

First Time

The first time I travelled to the DR, many years ago the Las Ameicas Airport was still somewhat "primitive." Oh, they had recently upgraded from the dirt landing strip I was told, but you still had to exit your plane under the nice warm sun as opposed to a nice cool terminal as you have now. There were many, many people crowded in at the exit from the baggage claim area, which I later found out were mostly there to sight-see and to hustle your money (offer to carry bags or provide a "taxi") I had not learned enough Spanish yet and the experience was quite harrowing, but after a good laugh inside our shuttle it became part of fond memories of the DR. This is an exert from a poem I wrote.


As I exited your portal I could not contain the emotion that had welled up inside me. There was an explosion that rocked my senses, a transcendent spiritual experience. My eyes beheld your beauty, I inhaled your tropical allure and I surrendered to you.



As I made my trek into the fray of the countless others, I was a Johnny come Columbus in this new world. The descendants of  centuries-old inhabitants are more hospitable now. And there in the frightening exchange of linguistics, in the maddening convergence at my welcome, it was then that I loved you.

1 comment:

John said...

The poem was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! Your sentiments were similar to mine. On my 1st trip to the Model Market in the city of Sto. Dgo., "way back when," a throng of guys approached my friend and I and yelled, "Curacao! Curacao!" It was quite a shock! I don't know why they assumed we were from Curacao, but they did. LOL!