LONELY ALONG THE SHORE – Andre Swanepoel

A blissful poetical journey into distant, envisioned lands, quiet background to a profound exploration of the soul, through the abandoning of roots too tight to glide into treacherous, although long-cherished, freedom. The great Unknown captivates and intimidates those who hear the call of the wilderness: they unfold into wanderers, only guided by fervent hopes. The sky and the elements become faithful friends, whose guidance is required for a safe crossing and, perhaps, to be advised for a still elusive future. It is a solitary path, the search for self, fraught with perils and traps, and sad fragments of past lives. Sometimes the road rides on the verge of insanity, Lonely Along The Shore, but the traveller’s quenchless thirst urges them ahead, through pastoral scenes calling their name. The gentle odes resonate with our deepest desires to be better humans, or just to be elsewhere, away from the too-narrow ties of an existence we can’t fully master nor understand. We are pushed by our questions to go farther, and yet the answers are seldom what we were expecting, but what we really needed. Who are we? Where do we belong? There are no definite answers, only an eternal quest for self.

Andre Swanepoel is a qualified medical doctor, a proud South African, and harbours a passion for people and the human condition from where his love of poetry has its origin. He has seen his share of suffering, heartache and joy, and pulls from these very human experiences the inspiration for his poetry, which guards his sanity and provides a backdrop for crucial narratives. In life, work and poetry, he seeks to capture the essence of what it means to be human, and therefore fallible, which he believes is preferable to being invincible. There is hope in the darkness and joy amid our sorrow, and he seeks to uncover and share it. The belief that words, love and unity heal all wounds is dear to his heart. To date, he has multiple publications available online and in print. His poetry journey started as a form of journaling but quickly evolved to a short-form practice of hastily scribbled sticky notes available online and on Instagram at @swansongs01.