At times you recall my name,
syllables rest on the tip of your tongue,
and you will not dare to pronounce them,
not even on your own,

for I am the sign of the times,
harsh times when you lack of wealth, health, and regular breaths.

The truth is, I wasn’t always your most feared harbinger, don´t you remember?

At times when you were little,
our friendship was an enviable bond,
strangely inherited by nature,
over which you always roamed.

At times in your childhood, you had faith in change,
faith in the kind side of people, faith in a life with no end.

Years passed and like all kids,
after eves of staying awake before Christmas day,
once naivety was engulfed by the fire,
you were led astray,

At times when you were young, you believed in Santa Claus,
as well as in fairy tales, love, and living for a cause.

I was there when you searched for mistletoes to cross,
in the company of those love story characters whose scent is now lost.

So many nights we lay on opposite sides of the same couch,
many mornings we rose together like crops from the ground.
You used to enjoy my irrigation in those silent Summers.
Back then, you dreamed of love knocking at your door,
craving your body was a worthy object to hold.

In past times I’d welcome you into my lands, next to the coast,
and there we built castles, not of sand, but of gold.

By the shore you found a warm and beautiful shelter,
where we laughed until we cried about life and bad weather.

Sadly, you broke down all your child´s parts,
tore down all the castles,
and left in search of other lands.

That day I became debris drifted by the sea,
a sea in which you are slowly drowning,
resigning to grab on me.

Lately, I saw you praying for a bit of more time,
youth decided to leave you,
and humans get overwhelmed with what they can’t understand.

At some point in your end you will recall my name,
and will dare to pronounce it aloud without shame,
for I am an old known friend…

HOPE

Dec 07th 2023