Frederick Kwesi Great Agboletey

Glasgow, Scotland

Bitter Longing (To Bruce)

Could you imagine how it felt

Knowing I had to let you go all alone

A thousand miles I had travelled with you

Till before us descending darkness and mighty ocean are reminders

A remonstration of barriers imaginary in reality

Your pain, loneliness and bitterness, acrid taste of violent inner rage

Raging ocean, stiff breeze and your silent exterior, then cold night

A thousand miles before you

Stretching as though it were eternity

Silent noise of strange towns in worlds even stranger

Our silence our only bridge of shared feelings denied

Emptiness of void, pretence,

tense visibility of motionless bridge disappearing into mist

Bridges we had crossed, greater bridges lay ahead over mighty waters turbid

My beloved devoid of love

Loneliness bitter ale of deception rueful

Our tattered bleeding emotions slipping through worn fingers stiff

Hapless hopelessness of faith in words lisped

A cold air rips through empty quarters as worlds huddle in separation

Parting and closing ranks again

We are silent shadows walking through

As though normality is this passive aggression unrestrained all there is -