Left Behind

by Oluwaseun Ogundolapo
(Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.)

So this is it
The world really came to an end
The rapture happened and I’m here on my bed
This note is for the ‘left behinds’

If you are reading this, you possibly have one or two regrets
Its twenty four years of my life, wasted
It could only be a wish but we can’t turn back the hands of time
And here I am trying to reminisce on how I had wanted to live my life

All my life I dreamt without waking up to make them come true
And my major regret is having more regrets than testimonies
It’s a pity I didn’t have the opportunity to stand on stage and recite poems with
Somto Okeke, Michael Onobote and Onyeka Nwelue.

And this is the end of hoping to record a song with Emmanuel Edunjobi, Benita Okojie and Oyegbade Funmi
Also my predicted marriage with Oyebisi Ogundana as discussed with Moyosore Oladunjoye
Didn’t happen in the end
My book ‘Letter to a dreamgirl’ didn’t get published

I wasn’t privileged to tell Ogundolapo Olawunmi and Dolapo Ige how beautiful they were
Ayode Akinfemiwa thought he was my friend but he was wrong…he was my brother
Funmi Shobayo knew she could act but she didn’t hear from me that she’s the best actress I ever knew

I smile every time I remember Ozioma Osakwe
So my daughter won’t get to read ‘Letter to Mojisola’
I read accountancy and would have loved to be chartered
But now I pick up the pieces of my dreams, shattered

I was in the middle of these thoughts
When I heard my name
Three times, she called
And I got up from my bed, sweating and breathing hard

It was my mum
Oh no, she didn’t go too?
‘ Where?’ she confusedly ask
It took me 30seconds to realize

It was all a dream
So this would have been the situation if it were true
No…I can’t let this happen to me
I’m coming to make my life count

I don’t know about you but just don’t be left behind
Whatever that means to you