Inner Peace In Only Ten, By Allan Baillie
In “Only Ten,” Allan Baillie explores Hussein’s journey and his transformation from being consumed by fear and trepidation to feeling a sense security and stability. Similarly, to “Wanderlust” the journey allows one to escape loneliness and experience the brightness of life. The representation of the alive and fruitful plants evoking inner peace is explored in “smelling the fruit, pressing at the earth and even listening to the leaves” contrasting his desolate past in Iran. The repetition of “nothing” in “nothing green, nothing growing” emphasizes the lifelessness of his childhood and explores his need to seek inner peace found in the brightness of the plants. This concept mirrors, the persona in “Wanderlust” having the desire to escape her