Just eight more weeks, then out the door; in Switzerland, I'll live no more.

No more moist Kase firm and ripe, nor young ones treading the Zebra stripe.

Keine church bells ringing a joyful tune, in morning, evening, weekend, noon.

No more Hoi! Gruetzi! or Guten Tag!, but back to daily, work week slog.

No trams that rumble on metal feet, nor trains that whiz by sleek and neat,

or breads with seeds and fruits galore, on brimming shelves in nearby store.

No Zwanzig Minuten on morning trip, nor Blick am Abend to read so quick.

Ixnay on stands with veggies fresh, or Wochenmarkt with sausage flesh,

that hangs in lovely shape and size, enticing Hausfraus with their buys

or crisp produce, eggs, flowering blooms, mandlebrot and Weiss mushrooms.

No ancient church of wood and rock, where candles burn around the clock,

their hand forged locks to guard the space, watched oer by hero's marble face.

Zilch cows with ringing metal bells, which echo in Swiss hills and dells.

No more Akkusative edict frame, like "der to den, die, das the same!"

Zip Alp chateau with rock and tile, their fensters adorned in canton style.

No hairpin turns on mountain road, or trying to remember my postal code,

and zero Roman Turms and walls, or monasteries festooned halls.

Gross-munster no more to see or Zurich University.

Adieu to Dolder and Poly Bahn, and sun on China Garten lawn.

The Brockihaus, I'll shop no more, nor pop into the Globus Store.

My American girlfriends helped my stay, with coffee and workshops and trips away.

This year soon over, to "home" I go, it feels as if three months ago,

I landed for a year abroad and wondered at the path I'd trod.

In retrospect, I've become freed, as life brought to me folks I need,

to inspire and nurture my poet's voice.  They cheered and encouraged my vocal choice

for my journey was outside and inside as well; a chance to discard an unflattering shell,

to unknot my nitpicking habit of doubt, to climb from deep crevice and finally break out

and release old emotions I've tried to suppress, and drop my perfectionist need for success.

"Not good enough" to "I'm as good as I can be".  Thanks to der Schweiz for my new liberty.