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Je me décante

Je me regarde dans un éclat de miroir, un morceau suffisant pour contenir tout ce que je suis devenue.

Le visage derrière le verre a la constance d’un fruit trop mûr : une douceur qui menace de s'effondrer.

Il cligne à peine, battre des cils est déjà une ambition.


Il n’y a pas d’effroi.

Seulement cette neutralité anormale qui suit les choses qui cessent de brûler.

Les émotions n’arrivent plus jusqu’à moi ; elles trébuchent à l’entrée, s’excusent puis repartent.

Alors je m’imite. Je fais semblant d’être la femme dont le visage me ressemble.


Je note, chaque jour, une étrange évaporation :

des souvenirs qui se désagrègent comme du sucre dans de l’eau tiède,

des jours qui coulent à travers mes doigts sans même mouiller la peau.

Je pourrais croire que je rêve en continu, si le rêve n’avait pas plus de cohérence.


Rien de tragique là-dedans.

Juste un glissement imperceptible, presque poli, vers un terrain où je ne fais que constater.

Un terrain où mes propres mains me saluent avec la réserve d’inconnues bien élevées.


Je ne m’effraie plus de ce qui jadis me tenait en laisse.

Ce n’est pas du courage ; c’est un déplacement.

Comme si mes anciennes peurs avaient oublié mon nom et cherchaient quelqu’un d’autre dans un couloir trop long.


Je marche donc ainsi :

presque vivante, presque absente,

portée par une mécanique interne qui a cessé de demander pourquoi.


Dans le miroir brisé, mon œil suit une ligne de lumière.

Chaque reflet est une version possible.

Je ne les reconnais pas, mais je ne les conteste pas non plus.

Elles peuvent être moi, ou pas.

Le monde n’en ferait pas une affaire.


Parfois je me dis que l’oubli est une forme d’honnêteté.

Une manière de ne garder que ce qui insiste.

Et puisque rien n’insiste vraiment, tout s’efface avec une docilité déconcertante.


Le morceau de miroir me pèse dans la main.

Pas par douleur, mais par certitude.

La certitude que je me tiens, depuis un moment déjà, dans un endroit situé juste à côté de moi-même.

Un vestibule silencieux, sans murs et sans fenêtres.

Un lieu où l’on attend de revenir sans être sûre d’avoir envie de revenir.


Je n’appelle pas cela se perdre.

Je dirais plutôt :

Je me décante.



Imane El Maimouni 

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