Why Did I Leave East Africa ...

I left Mombasa , island of Raha (happiness) ...
To emigrate to England , land of opportunity ....

Forsook the tropical sun ...
For cold frigid weather ...

Left behind the warm ocean breeze ...
For the wind-chill of winter ...

Abandoned white pristine beaches ...
For brown muddy shores ...

Turned away from a turquoise warm Ocean ...
For polluted lakes ...

Gave up Mangoes, Papaya, Mabuyu, Khungu, Achari and Sunflower ...
For processed Apples, Pears, Peaches and Cherries ...

Gave up Mahambri and Bharazi ...
For cereal, bagels, cheese, and salads ...

Gave up drinking coconut water straight from the Coconut ...
And settled for bottled water ...

Left behind the street coffee seller(Kahava - Tangawizi) ...
For the office coffee pot ...

Left behind the exotic fragrance of Phapa and Langi Langi ...
For the pungent smell of sulfuric emissions ...

Deprived of hearing Ngoma & Bongo music ...
For the sound of police and fire sirens ...

Deprived of seeing women clad in beautiful Sarees & Bui Bui ...
For women dressed in jeans and miniskirts ...

Deserted a slow relaxed pace of life ...
For the fast lane ...

Gave up afternoon naps ...
For gym workouts ...

Gave up riding a bicycle through the narrow streets ...
For driving a car on the highways ...

Discontinued a course on the coral marine life ...
For a course in stress management ...

Discarded beautiful, cool Mud and Thatched dwellings ...
For concrete and steel ...

Left behind a community-based life ...
For a human zoo ...

It often makes me wonder ...

If...

I have left my soul behind in somewhere in Mombasa ... ?
~Kuldip S Attalia