Shores of longing

by Reem Fayyad Abdel-Samad

The waves of longing take me by surprise
They wash me off the shores of yesterday
I look up to the sun of years
I see the face of a love crowned by wrinkles

I reach to touch cheeks engraved by tears
Pained by longing . . . tanned by moaning
The heart trembles . . .
Heartbeats trip
Thoughts fall away from the mind
My tongue is in knots
Words fail me
The sad face of yesterday’s love kills me
My fingers embrace its features
They bring back memories of love
They kiss them slowly
Dance with them . . . breathe them in
Search for an ecstasy that faded in a reality crowded with titles
They tell of love speak about the flavour of longing
About the innocence of a child, seared by the flames of separation
Abandoned by oblivion at the doorstep of today
To raise toasts of reminiscence
As lonely eyes stare . . .
at oceans of nostalgia