Oblivion

On my walk today,

(a familiar path, with familiar people, walking into the sunrise,

Up the hill)

Suddenly, I found myself all alone.

 I looked around, I looked ahead, and behind -

Everyone had disappeared

Into oblivion.

Oblivion, like death,

A mysterious evaporation.

A bat of an eyelid, a blink of an eye,

And nonexistence triumphs.

I waved a silent greeting

To a familiar face

And watched it being eradicated.

An empty space created, instead.

A shadow that bespoke of a life

That was meant to be – and knew oblivion had

Transpired.

And I knew, with the wisdom of the ages,

That there would be no return.

And so, each moment passes by,

With oblivion around every corner

Of the ticking clock. And yet, the mind

Clings to shadowy remains, of words half-spoken,

Conserving them in memory.  

Oblivion vanquishes sunrises,

Turns all to dark nights.

While the brain spins fables,

To while away the hours.

-by Rita Putatunda