After three days of sobriety, mourning, and oceans of tears on the pillow,a white paper showed its presence through the transparent pillowcase the tears had made. Aduke leaped lifelessly on her shoulder and brought out the wet, exhausted white paper, spread it gently on her thighs, wiping off her tears with both hands like a maltreated orphan…then she reads through with her mind resonating heavily the deep and shaking voice of her love, cutting into each verse with her soft sonorous voice.

I know this moment will come;
The time when solitude will cling to your soul
Pinching onto your neck and
Relentlessly perspiring your breath
So I left you a note
A creased paper squeezed inside my pillow case
If you’re reading this
Then you have it

She shuddered and wondered the reality of the paper. “So, he knew he’d die?” she wobbly mellowed. Then, her thoughts mount the wind in soliloquy:

Adedimeji ore mi
The one who took sorrow away from me
But now I say
What is left of me?
My mind is on a voyage
I can’t explain
Why does the life I envisaged
Have to be put astray?
Doesn’t have to be us
Adedimeji, come home I’m lone

The breeze beat the paper to make a sound, and she continued reading:

By now, I’ll merely be a dream in your dreams
A faded imagination of the past
A cemented memory slipping into glitches

Now, she starts responding to each words of the pre death note of her lover:

Memories bring back olds
I have no one but you alone
But now that you’re gone
I guess I’m done
Nature cut us short
Nature cursed our love

Death is not the end
It opens a new phase
So they say and so I believe
End your grieve
Embrace your loneliness and brace up
Savour the memories
Make happiness out of our happy moments
For I’ve gone to prepare a place for us
Where we’ll write stories
Which will never be memories

Dakun,don’t ever give up
Keep vying
Keep striving
Look down and give me peace
My heart is full of sorrow
Can I make tomorrow?
Adedimeji mi,come back home
Or take me home!

I’m not coming home I’m home: You’re home
Home is you: Home is me
Home is us!

by Mary Oyinloye & Monday Kayode,
Faculty of Law, Obafemi Awolowo University

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