. . .forgetting you

by Daisy Kizza
(Johannesburg, South Africa)

As I slept last night, I had a dream
After so long with dreamless sleeping
I was walking down our favourite street
You were not there - I could feel you with me
Didn't hit me until I reached the end
That as I slept, I lived a memory in dreaming - breathing
That even when my mind was put to rest
In my dreams - were our memories - dancing at our feet
All the sounds and smells in my memory
Were entwined so subtly within my dream
That I would roll over - turning to ask you
If you were feeling all these things I was feeling
Like that dark cloud that came to claim us
Was nothing but a fear we could conquer
That this was the moment for us
To stand up and have our chance to do over
But the dream ended and I was awake
Yes a part of me was wounded somehow
That the joy that I felt was a mistake
Because it was hope I thought I'd killed now
But for that moment I started to break
I felt myself going back on my vow
The foundation - it trembled - it did quake
But I wasn't going to lose my resolve now
So when I slept - I dreamt of you and our street again
Our memories in big buildings that touched the sky
Made of windows - like gift boxes - glass cases
They looked down at us - seeing the hurt and asking why
How could they be so happy when we weren't?
All these memories that smiled then - now we are in pain
So when you stopped moving - I walked on
Painting over all the windows with black paint...