My beloved I have much to say, br Oh my! where should I start? br br Before you came... br the corner stores were waiting to live, br and yesterday was window shopping for today, br most afternoons were cold and pitiless, br and summer evening had lost its painter. br br Oh my beloved...before you came br Fall came in April in a deafening silence, br and Spring refused to play with the tulips, br winter? winter, was abrasive and brutal, br and roads, Oh! Roads-had no meeting place and no detour signs, br and mountains had left our neighborhoods. br br Oh my beloved...before you came br Birds had cut off their wings and had stopped chirping br there were no plays on the side walks, br no languages, no theaters br radio played no music and televisions had no images, br and the library! Oh my beloved... br the library shelves were empty of love stories. br br Oh my beloved...before you came br yes, before you came...my pen resist to write poetry. br br br br © Emu Getachew, December 6,2009.