A Love Letter

By janice lukyamuzi— (Bio Below)

“I love you so much it hurts.”
We used to say to each other.
But where is the hurt in love,
So fresh, young and innocent?Everything about you had this beautiful appearance
That I was not even offended when you let out gas!

I would sit out outside waiting
While you made the ‘long call’,
Carrying on with our conversation
Without a care of what people thought.
The shape or your nails,
The colour or your hair,
The size of your lips, or sound of your voice-
They all were perfect because
Love dressed them beautifully.

Does love really hurt?
When you missed to visit me
A sharp pain cut through my chest.
If I didn’t see you soon,
I’d be sick till you came.
It hurt so much I wouldn’t concentrate.
I’d hate my friends who forbade me to be with you!
But now, it doesn’t hurt so much!

At least not in the same way-
It’s possibly because you’re close to me,
And I’m assured of your love.
I won’t stand for bad smells,
I treasure as well,
And our children share that special space.

Yes, your hair, nails, lips and all
Are still beautiful,
Your is smile still as sweet.
But I love you all the same
And it doesn’t have to hurt.

Janice’s bio

Janice is an artist from her toes up, who loves gardens, butterflies and her sewing machine. Her artistic fingers will transform material into creative designs for friends and their homes. Born in Uganda, she lives with her husband and four children whose names were inspired by one of her favorite Bible stories — Noah’s Ark.

Janice works and writes from Kyanja, a quiet, residential suburb, with pockets of bush, elephant grass, lantana and wild guava trees; where rock excavations, heaps of sand and stones tell of a fast-growing neighborhood.

A woman of unyielding faith, Janice’s writing is mainly drawn from nature as it surprisingly mirrors the daily fabric of our lives. Janice is a published author of a colourful collection of poems and reflections titled, HE SHELTERS ME, a book where she also shares with us part of her artistic personality.