I miss my house in Malta

One day in October one of my daughter’s friends knocked on my door and gifted me this image of my home in Malta. Together with other friends they had arranged for this sketch painting as a reminder of many happy days spent here in the quiet and shelter from the Mediterranean sun. The framed painting sits in a room I often frequent and each time I see it I know that I miss my house in Malta!

Artwork by Sheila Lukeni. See her Instagram page on @shecandrawit for personalised illustrations

I miss my house in Malta

My little home escape

The house with its pealing skylight

Dropping dandruff on the staircase

I miss my tiny Malta

The house in the narrow street

The artwork and the veranda

The doors that do squeak.

Despite your irritations

And the WiFi that lets me down

And the plumbing gets so lazy

And the oven has now ceased.

Yes I miss you my Malta

My home, my escape

For despite your irritations

You have never failed

To satisfy a long walk across your rugged hills,

And under your blue sky

overlooking the deepest sea

Surrounding an uninhabitable rock

Where I can later see

The sun set while I rest at a terraced restaurant

Eating only the freshest fish presented on a plate

Yes I miss you

My Malta!