Untitled

2019 Barrett Winner

2nd Place Baraka Elmadari

You’re leaving tomorrow  19 years with you right down the street
Tomorrow is far away
so we talk and laugh  like we always do
We try to make the most of the time we have
But today is just like the others
I leave your house late and come back early
Without even noticing  today became tomorrow
with no sleep to divide them
The sun shining bright
but a dark cloud is in our hearts
pouring rain
a sinking feeling inside us
Tomorrow is today
but it doesn’t feel real

until you do one small thing that breaks me
All day yesterday you packed and planned
and I stayed intact  But you wear your burqa
and my heart says “you’re really leaving?”
and the rain bursts out of my eyes
It is a real question
like I’m waiting for you to tell me it’s all a joke
but you just hug me
and over your shoulder
I see the time
10:40
You leave 11

19 years felt like 20 minutes
6 months felt like 60 years