Sotto Poet Poet Rhyme

The Cartography of Belonging

Written: September 28, 2026

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Not by deed or name we claim the earth,
but by the weight of seasons spent under its sky—
the furrow brows that learned its sun and thirst,
the roots that reached where other roots drift dry.

I carried seeds in pockets, words in folds,
a language etched in wind and light and rain,
while foreign soil remained aloof, then cold,
and whispered through my veins a refrain:

You are guest. The ledger does not bend—
for those who walk with careful, borrowed tread.
But in the end, when journeys find their end,
the ground accepts both living and the dead.

So let me sleep where sun and shadow meet,
where grass recalls footprints, deep and small.
Not by the name I gave or roads I greet—
but by the dust that answers to my fall.

For earth remembers not what flags we flew,
but how we knelt to plant a single shoot—
how wounds we bled became the morning dew,
and how our silence learned the root's salute.

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Gershon Wolf September 28, 2026 at 9:11 PM This poem is paradise for me, a former farmer whose roots in the soil of Israel still speak to him today, many years later. Thank you, Maestro!

Yann Rolland September 28, 2026 at 4:19 PM remarkable images and messages, an honor to read, wishes

Pascal Borg September 28, 2026 at 2:44 PM Deep philosophical wisdom, dear Sotto; and for me the last stanza stands out. A definite favourite, I must say!

Paula Goldsmith September 28, 2026 at 1:47 PM I enjoyed reading your wonderful write. Yes, we are guests. As we walk careful, as our journeys take us from living to death. Have a fun day writing away.............

Hiya Sharma September 28, 2026 at 10:22 AM Ohh exactly dear Sotto! Such deep wisdom you've presented here, conveying how the divine power doesn't distinguish between those boundaries set by us humans, for him, we are simply souls wandering and aching to finally reach home... "how wounds we bled became the morning dew, and how our silence learned the root's salute." Loved that ending! What a meaningful and philosophical write! With soul-stirring sentiments. Always a pleasure reading you, keep shininnnn and writinnnn 🌸🌙🍁💫