(THOSE FEW DAYS WITHOUT YOU)

Drowning in messages of sympathy
tongues that are rolling
others tied up in an effort to process
People of few words trying to make sense of
days identical to each other
yet so different
so forced
I get up in the morning
I check my messages – a lot these days
a lot more than I’m used to
emails
work
formalities
I was told I’ve got to let others take care of me
and I’m living vicariously through images of those I know so little –
posted on social media
I go to France
travel to the United States of America
I’m off to South Africa
Tortured by the thought that I can’t call you anymore like I used to
Ask you how’s your day, if you have the time to come by for coffee
where I’d offer you biscuits that you’d politely decline
A routine that’s so hard to break
Essential to me
Perhaps to you too
So I’ve been thinking
neighbours stuck in their boxes
sharing the same staircases and elevators
but leading such different lives

(THOSE FEW DAYS WITHOUT YOU)

One’s happy, they just got the greatest news
One’s getting ready to go to a funeral
Another is having an average day
perhaps not appreciating their “same old” as much as they would if they knew that what they say it’s true
about life
destiny
how the deck of cards is being reshuffled
and you cannot know if you win or lose
you can only hope – if you can
Anyway,
neighbours
All brought up in different ways
different homes
with different dreams and ambitions
different sets of all those things that make us
us
and as evolved as we take pride in saying we are
animals dressed in clothes
pretending
spending our lives anxious for approval, the riches,
greedily asking for more
betraying the causes we once stood for
hiding behind the glass thinking they cannot see us
Thinking the glass will hold up our shame and guilt
before it shatters
It seems to me you had it all figured out
And I’m sorry that this is the first time I’m actually listening.