Melancholy

Early one morning,
Awoken by the blissful
Voice of Fayrouz,
Pining for the love of
An honest and sweet
Gentleman.

There were tearful messages
Of missed opportunities
That we all have;
To fall in love
With such fine
Sweethearts, and for
Me fine women.

Rising out of bed
To seize the day;
I had the misfortune
Of not seeing enough
Glorious sunlight,
In the past few days.

To enrich my heart
And skin as the glow
Of it, made me feel
So grounded, so gay.

Passing people in the
Street, one lady caught
My eyes, reminiscing me of
My Fayrouz and her
Hurtful songs of
Opportunities lost;
Her suffering expressed
In hers songs, so powerful,
In each and every way.

Too shy to stop her
In her tracks,
Fearing ridicule and
Rejection from such
Striking features
Her natural presence
And graceful way.

With rich brown eyes
And dark red hair
Black dress and such
Funky red boots.

My heart leapt then fell,
As she went on
Her merry way.

From thereupon,
I was filled with
Confusion and doubt
Blind for my search
Of true love.

Had I lost my opportunity,
Once again, by
Letting beautiful creatures
Who I effortlessly let
Them go by everyday?

I was hurt, dubious
To what she did
Her name, desiring her
Love and affection,
Throughout the rest of
My day.

As I ventured home
It began to rain.
I become aware of the junkies
Around me,
Their faces so dismayed.

I tried to forget this
Mind-blowing beauty,
Who I’d happen to leave behind
The previous morning,
I was ruined, in solitude
From that day forward
Feeling so distraught
And dazed.

As days went on,
I carried no grudge
Maybe I’d meet her
Soon again, maybe
Even today?!

It had been many months
Since my heart had leapt
Like before;
No other beauty, I pondered
Existed at all, like that day.

I ran into her again,
My face beaming with
My trademark, honest
Smile, from ear to ear
But soon fell heavily,
My premature glee
Was in vain.

Black dress, red hair
And deep brown eyes,
Gone now, forever,
As I catch sight of you
On the street today.

So different now,
My happy face turns hard
My smile diminishes
No longer present at all,
Gone away.

Your face is sorrowful,
Washed away.
You look tired, my dear,
Head down, frightened
To look up, at people
Walking by.

They are not mindful
To what they see in front
Them, just speeding to
Work, or wherever else,
Their lives too important
To be bothered by such
No-hopers blocking their way.

They don’t care at about
Her at all.
I do though her
Dreadful lost glowing
Countenance;
Instead unhappy and
So, so, white and pale.

Needle arm, inserted
In vein; eyes dull,
No hope of change;
As my heart sunk
Further down, saddened;
I’d lost my opportunity
Once again.

Looking at her
So miserable.
As I stood their
With resentful pain.

I had lost my opportunity,
Which from then on
Was indelibly etched
In my mind for my
Entire life onward,
As love gone by
Was now an occurring
Case, case by case.

I was so hurt, and forlorn
Such splendour gone astray;
Her arm bleeding,
Sinuously, and Sinuously,
I was in grief, Oh my god
Such an undeniable waste.

Peter Najjar, Thursday, 5 June 2008