NOSTALGIA: "THE SIDE OF US THAT STAYED" BY SULAIMON KHALID

We once lived, with her hand on mine,

on the better side of our love;

where nights saw us together,

and mornings could tell who we were.

But even the brightest side we shared

had its shadows;

shadows that dragged us

into a tunnel we never saw coming,

and we somehow lost each other

on the very road we swore to share.

The best side of our love

was the part of the night

we wished would last forever;

but the forever we planned

was too heavy for time to carry.

Now I sit with memories

of what was once better as love;

memories that refused to grow old;

reminding me that what broke me

was once what built me.

Maybe one day,

the pain will follow the rain

and forget its way back to me;

but the side of us that stayed

is what I hold;

those nights I loved,

those moments we shared,

even that I know she won’t return.

© SULAIMON KHALID

-NIGERIA

The poem "THE SIDE OF US THAT STAYED" is a poignant and introspective piece that explores the themes of love, loss, and memory. The speaker reflects on a past relationship, recalling the happy moments and the pain of its demise.