Nuvein Magazine | Poetry | I must be careful by Farida Mihoub

I must be careful
by Farida Mihoub

I must be careful not to say things
that may let you think
that I want to leave you.
It is not because I am not talking
that it means I ignore you.
With you, joy is everywhere.
But I only need to turn the pages
of a newspaper, take this suburban train,
or walk down those anonymous malls,
and my words become soundless.
The absence of all you give me
makes me wonder how
all those people survive.
When everyone gets home,
do they get the hellos that shout their love,
the warm cheering embraces,
and the smiles that resuscitate me?
A world without them everywhere
cannot be just right.
It is like standing and starving,
with hunger increasing,
and aching out of loneliness.

I must be careful to say things
that will let you think that
I am not going anywhere.