Utopia

Once you decide to leave a city You imagine all the final goodbyes And what they’ll feel like Much much before your last day arrives. You make a mental list or a tangible one Of all the places to revisit And the people to meet So many memories to celebrate And moments to regreet. You smile in the distance imagining What those people may say And what you may say in return Almost looking forward to The teary smiles and warm hugs And you wonder whether Those who have wronged you Will come clean and apologise You wipe away a tear when you realise How everyone will wish There was still some more time. But there isn’t. And you struggle to find space For every promised catchup And the new ones who casually said “We must meet before you leave” Some evenings you want to pause Skip dinner and get early to bed But the days are already too brief And you can’t afford any regrets. As the final week draws close You notice the other lasts The last time you cross  The city’s bustling market Or find a s