Love's Departure

An oldie but a goody. I'm in the process of transferring my poems across. This was one of the first poems I wrote and is one of my favourites. I wrote it for a friend whose boyfriend was moving back to Nigeria permanently. As she has no intention of ever living there, this was basically the end of their relationship; even though they still loved each other.

Love's Departure

My lover is going
His body is still here
His mind is ever constant
His smile still warms my heart
His clothes still hang in the closet
His arms still hold me close
But still I know

My lover is going
The future looms ever close
What was once a distant thought
Is an ever louder strumming pulse
A beat of impending sorrow
An ever-rising tide of panic
Marring the last vestibules of our time together

My lover is going
The only thought constantly running through my mind
Our last moments forever tainted by the taste of tears
Attempts to memorise his face
Poignant kisses stored for future memories
The feel of his hands forever imprinted on my body
An overwhelming sense of futility possesses me

My love is going
The pain is lessening
The ache is easing
The nights are shortening
The chill is thawing
The pictures are fading
Thoughts start to drift...

My lover 's gone
Love is really gone.