Wednesday 16 March 2011

Old Man Dreaming


Old men dream dreams of what they did, of what they could have done and perhaps what they still could do. I too dream in such a way. There is not much on the list that I still can do except to tell you about the past.
I cannot right the wrongs or “cancel half a line” as Fitzgerald flamboyantly translated the Arabic in The Rubbaiyat of Omar Khayyam but I can tell you of summer breezes and the “season of mellow fruitfulness”.
Was it like that for you? I loved life, I loved the world and I loved you. I shouldn’t have but when I first saw you I was entranced, smitten, besotted and in love again. I wanted to touch you to bury my head between your breasts and hear you say my name, tenderly, with love, with longing.
When I touched you, you too would run your fingers on my cheeks, through my hair and murmur sweet nothings. Then as I tickled you gently with kisses in secret places you sighed with desire and fulfilment.
Wait, did that happen? Was that true? Is this but an old man’s dream of something that almost happened but never did? Where are you now? Can you tell me or do you dream of other things; of your life fulfilled with the joys and sadness of true loves and babies and of children growing up and a husband who was not me.
Do you remember me? Why do I remember you so well? You are in my heart always. Is there just a little piece of me in yours to remember or are your dreams of more fortunate men?

15 comments:

  1. A deeply questioning piece. Excellently done.

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  2. Sheilagh Lee said :you can feel the longing in this piece well done.

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  3. How bittersweet. An enjoyable piece!

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  4. everyone dreams,
    old man dreams, which is a lovely thing.

    wonderful tale.

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  5. Truly enjoyable piece. Very thought provoking.

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  6. That touched a chord. Dreams, sigh!

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  7. By the way, we have similar names for our blog page!

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  8. Excellently composed and can feel the longing , the wait and the thirst!! Leaves one perplexed and quizzical as to why? oh!! why??
    Cheers!!

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  9. Rich with feeling and so beautifully written.

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  10. What a romantic meander through memories that may or may not be.
    I often think 'Do my memories reflect the truth?' As we get older it becomes more difficult to seperate fact from fiction.

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  11. Great reflective piece..as the others say full of longing and melancholy..but at least there is someone left to dream of..someone real to treasure..that makes any old man (woman) happy..Jae

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  12. oldegg, Memory and reality have an interesting relationship, especially as we get older. Throw past love in the mix and all hell breaks loose within. You have captured this feeling flawlessly.

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  13. This one went right to my heart. Women dream like this, too.
    Very powerful yet heart-wrenching...

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  14. very touching...i guess we never stop dreaming

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