i now explore alone,
pebble stone paths beneath my feet,
where only echoes of my footsteps
fill the silence, soft and sweet.
the air’s embrace is all i know,
a tender chill, a fleeting touch.
the world around me quiet grows,
yet never asks for much.
a bill for one, the table set,
no need for laughter, in this moment.
in solitude, i find rest,
within the stillness of the crowd.
(poem from my solo trip to portugal)
