Performed by Val Cole

Ruins of Memories by Badradeen Mohammed

On a sunny autumn day

I was leaning on a plastic chair in front of my house

With sweat dripping from my body

Caused by the high temperature

And resentment for the intensity of my anger

Suddenly, without realising I found myself standing up

So fascinated by the landscape

The breathtaking beauty and charm

This was magnificence and harmony which I had not found in any instance of my life

A cluster of white clouds and in just moments fantastic coloured

Were formed in red-dark and others were black and grey

Added to the sky was like a page, draped in lothario blue

Like a masterful painting, fine

Drawn by skilled artist

Which did not leave any room for error

Everyone was running down looking for a shelter to escape the heavy rain

I did not move a finger

Amused by the romance that took me to mazes of straying and day-dreams

And with each drop of water I felt recovery

As it was cleansing me from dirty days

At the peak of my happiness

I relaxed to the rhythms of memories which revived my soul

And made me see the world in its most beautiful

And in the most wonderful moments I lived

Sitting on the ruins of memories

Suddenly, I found myself shouting and swearing at a driver

Who drove his car through the water in front of me

So that water splashed full of dirt and filth

Spread over my body and my clothes

Marking the end of the dream and those moments

Only then I realised

Life does not give us all we wish for

Even in our dreams

Unless it wanted to