Delight Chilegide Olumati

Rub my arms some more, bring peace and calm to me as always. Remind me that you are me and we make up us, hold my hands and make my anxiety run away. Fill me with love and make my heart beat, be all that you stand for because with you, strength feels like my friend. Never stop being the love that I didn’t have to learn. Be to me as air is to us. Do all you’ve done and never stop.

That was the best introduction I could think of. I remember the sleepovers and calm touches. Your words and beautiful smiles. I remember moments we’ve shared and apologizes we’ve said to each other. I remember the last chances we’ve asked from us. I remember our hugs and I don’t want to ever have to miss us. I love your skin, your hair, I love your definition of love. I love how you try to be there, to be enough. I love your voice when it is covered with so much work, I love your creativity. I love all that you come with. I love you.

Yesterday, the call we had that left my face with tears made me realize how deep I have come with you—us, through the call, how comfortable I was and how willing I was to hear you out reminded me of how much I can’t afford to lose you.

I love how you think. I love it when you are confused, it gives me clarity around you, it reminds me that you are as human as I am after all. I love when you hold me close, when you put me to bed. I love it when you express how much you love me.

Your favourite word when we met was “fire” every time I sent my poems to you, you always said it and I wanted to hear more of it and so I wrote some more. You pushed me without knowing it. You brought consistency close to me with just one word. You made me make poetry worth reading, worth calling “fire” you made me create more and I love you for that.

If time can go back I actually wouldn’t want that, because we’ve made it through time and that has brought us here. All the moments we’ve shared have bagged us memories. All the yesterdays we’ve had have given us today, yesterday’s tomorrow. This is our future and we have us by our side still.

You have a beautiful sense of humour. The way you handle life and your manual that says “say less, make jokes, ignore bad energy, reduce contact with people that don’t make you happy or are always complaining, complain less too, be more grateful, focus on yourself a lot, reduce social presence, in general just enjoy being happy even when you are not happy and less violent or aggressive too. Listen to cool music, it calms the nerves and doesn’t get you worked up.”

For all it is worth, you’ve made life worth living and you worth loving. Until I pick my pen to write again, remember that this world, my world wouldn’t be complete or even enough without you.

Yours Lovely,
Delight Olumati

you can find the recorded version of this piece here