In Portugal’s embrace, my youthful days were spun,
Where ten thousand steps beneath the warming sun,
I trod the ancient cobbled streets with pride,
A journey where I learned to walk with purpose, stride by stride.
I was a young man, filled with dreams untamed,
In a land where history and culture intertwined, untamed,
Portugal, a canvas for my life to unfold,
Its people and its stories, a treasure to behold.
Each morning’s golden sun would rise above,
Casting shadows on the past, a testament of love,
For in the heart of this historic land I stood,
Serving the Portuguese people, doing what I could.
With earnest eyes, I met their joyful faces,
Shared in their laughter, felt their warm embraces,
As I served with honor, with passion in my heart,
I found my purpose there, a role to play, a part.
Through Fado’s haunting melodies at night,
I contemplated life’s mysterious, guiding light,
In Lisbon’s narrow alleys, I wandered, lost and found,
As I navigated life’s twists and turns, unbound.
Portugal’s cliffs met the mighty ocean’s roar,
A symbol of strength, like the man I was before,
And as the waves whispered secrets to the sand,
I, too, discovered truths I’d come to understand.
From young and unsure, now faithful and strong,
My journey in Portugal, where I truly belong,
The memories of those days, like stars in the night,
Shall forever guide me on my path, burning so bright.
Hayden Coombs 