FranKophone

"Remember the last time I came to your house ?" "Yes, the same lights. No, these are new ones. It was ages ago. Christmas I guess." "No, your birthday." "Ah ! Birthdays. Who cares about it these days ? " "Come on, friends do." With a smirk, she asked, "Really ?"  I decided to keep quiet. Sofie had this hold on me. A lot had changed during the twelve years.  I had left Sofie's world and never intended to return.  But somehow I re-entered her life.   Shaking me from my reverie, she asked, "I guess you will leave in a day or two." I replied, "Yes, tomorrow evening." "And when will you be back ? " I had no answer to her question. She smiled slyly and drifted, "You remind me of him. He had no answer to most of my questions." "I am sorry, Sofie", I blurted.  "Please don't be. He is not dead." The standard Sofie-answer.  She con...

What is with this smile Mamma ?  It follows me everywhere, in good times And in pain. During journeys and at nights I rest. Remember how you read me my Nursery rhymes and the alphabet Mamma ? Remember how you waited for me To arrive from school ? Our banters And the laughter that followed. Look ! My library is bigger now, Almost as large as that of yours. Yet, I long to hear a lullaby from you. Sing to me Mamma ! Just like You did ages ago. Don’t walk away like that Mamma ! See, I am your little girl in tears. You taught me how to fight my battles But weren’t you my shield ? I am you girl, grey and portly, But I still need to hear my lullaby.