The Day I Lost An Old Love Poem by Chima Ononogbu

A day ordinary as the days before,
the sky was blue and heavy with cloud,
the air though sultry but beside my love
caressing and healing.

On the path where a year ago our love was born
we walked with our hands locked in love.
Under the grove of trees bearing flagrant fruits
shaped like dove-eye of love
we glided down the path in love.

Midway, on the plains of my soul the bombshell
as the sound of artillery was dropped:
"I shall not continue the relationship, " said my love,
stroking the petals of a rose flower
peeping through a window of excited leaves.

In a twinkling I felt as one drenched in bitter water.
The life of the day like a wisp of air
evaporated into the horizon unknown.
My chest felt as an enemy armed with sticks and axes
cutting down the red trees that air my heart.

The path from which we came
looked overgrown with teeth of thorns;
Even the trees hanging pleasantly low,
lush and riotous with thrilling glow,
had gone quiet and downcast in face.

In my lonely walk I had longed for the days
before the day I lost my old love,
how it used to be,
a part of her, a part of me,
but deep inside I knew she would not return;
I let it go to move on with life,
now content with what my life has become.