Open Letters

Dear Keele and England,

Could you stop for one moment to consider that I’ve still got a life here in Maine? I realize you feel the need for me to include you in my dreams every night. It’s also become clear that amidst my good things here, you will steal my attention with hunger pangs and phantom limb feelings; so I break concentration and daydream my time away, thinking of when I’ll see your pretty woods and prettier faces again. Well that’s just not fair! I’m in Maine now, that’s just how it’s going to be. You’re making moving on extremely hard and I have a lot of things that require my full attention here, like coursework and a job and more fun things. Maybe not as fun as you… but… I… See what you’ve done to me, Keele? England? Own up to this! Someone! Anything?

Dear Portland,

Well, we’ve got a history don’t we? Not all of it good – but we saw each other through. Your summer fogs and storms were among the most sensual of weather; your sunny warm days and ocean smells are unparalleled. Remember that time we watched a man in a gorilla suit chase girls down Exchange St? I laughed and you just flickered your lights joyfully. You’ve fed me and clothed me. You’ve seen me fight and fall and I still feel like it’s a homecoming each time I return to you. It’s you I sleep with tonight. And no, maybe not entirely by choice… But we can build from our history. While Keele has caused a certain amount of devastation, you can repair it.

With Love -

Caroline