I Saw Virginia Today Poem by Tonye WilliePepple

It was 1985, when we ran into ourselves
To join the busy breakfast queues
Before Mrs.Dike would say it was closed

Before our teacups would draw out  tears
Reminding our hungry selves
Till noon our stomachs would be cramped

We ran into our freshmen selves
She, with her Milo and mayonnaise
Me, with my sardine and bread

We would later become for ourselves
The very semblances of our morning meals
On Flat plates of love very well washed

She was slender and fair, had a dot on her nose,
I teased her to be Indian; she said my face was like Dracula's
Our noses and faces would meet whenever we kissed

Full of life, the entire class  got lost in stares
All wanting a bit of her charm, wit and her grace
I beamed in joy that I had a throne in her pretty mind

Those where the days of puppy love, of Virginia and I on the lawns
Her mum keeping sandwich for me, my dad buying her girly shoes
Both parents laughing at the silliness of our love, behind

Till that cold July, when she had to leave our house
Convulsing like she was on death's highways
When the ambulance took her, and I knew she was gone for good

I saw Virginia today and thought a  ghost was in my house
I looked out for her curves, chubby hands and rounded face
But the pool of years had gotten all of her beauty washed

Virginia gave me her smile, and Said "Dracula teeth"
I rose to exchange an embrace replying "My Indian Nose"
Just then I realised  it was in my dreams,
I saw Virginia today