I left my home a long eon ago,

A home I did not fit nor belong in,

A home I tried to shape to my desire

To share the same ideals that I’ve held dear,

To reconstruct the glory that once flowed.

But doing so required harrowing measures,

Acts of insurmountable degree

Fueled by my impatience and primal

Drive to exact things nonverbally,

And though I managed to achieve my endgame,

The means I’ve dealt, I wish I could forget.

For all these years, I’ve taken a journey,

A journey to find a peaceful way to ends,

To mellow out conflicts without bloodshed.

Dimension through dimension I’ve traveled,

Searching for peoples in need of help,

Chances for me to change them for the better:

Through examining their societies,

Through unraveling their identities,

Through festivities and civil discussions,

Through private psychological persuasion,

Subtle acts of changed personalities

To steer their leaders toward harmony.

Only then can I regain the honor

To trace the path to my original world;

Only then can I feel the weight of regret

And make amends to the people I’ve forsaken,

Abandoned due to my desire to evade

What happened before I began my journey.

*Article thumbnail by Melissa Santoyo / North by Northwestern