New to this community and excited to share my writing and be inspired by that of others.

During this period of lockdown, I have often stopped to think about all the places and people that are part of my idea of ‘home’. I chose to turn to writing to make these come alive and make the most of the evocative power of words. I wrote this poem after the Writing for Pleasure conference, inspired by a workshop on personal narratives. In it, I describe a place that is so familiar to me and that I have visited countless of times, Il Lago Di Varese.

A place where I always go.

There is a place where I always go.
A safe space where I am never alone,
A lake so still and to most unknown,
A natural haven, for me like home.

So many hours spent there,
Time sometimes stops.
Friends, families and visitors
All relish this place I love.

There is a wooden pier,
Stretches onto murky waters,
I count the times I have sat on it,
Feet dangling into the air.

A world reveals itself
Right before my eyes,
Gossips, questions, catch ups and silences:
Stories once told and ones still to unfold.

Leaving the pier behind,
There is a circular route to go on,
A cycle ride, a walk, a run,
Each time a new way of living this path.

A stop at the ice cream shop,
Two scoops of fresh flavour,
The true Italian taste,
Bring me joy and pleasure.

A bright, orange Spritz,
A bitter, sweet treat,
Shared among life old friends,
Brings memories back.

People complain about:
The humidity in the air,
Mosquito bites on the skin.
Me, I cherish these close to my heart.

Even from afar,
I always have it near,
Pictures sent from loved ones,
I watch it change during the year.

There is a place where I always go.
A treasured place in my small town,
A lake so still and to me well known,
A natural haven I can call home.