Head balanced on hands Staring mutely at wood grain Counting lines, comparing knots My head motionless, eyes darting
Lines and knots develop Into expressive imaginary faces Welcome company at our oak table After three months and six days of solitude
A rare phone call passes in a blur An awkward friend stammers her apology A million reasons for her absence Her neatly-transferred guilt engulfs me
Unused vocal chords intensively labour Faking upbeat sounds of reassurance Outwardly calm, but screaming inside My unseen eyes pleading for help
The call ends at her hurried insistence The allotted time up; duty becomes a distraction Her sentence hanging as the receiver clicks Hours, once more, now merge into days
Distant happy shouts of passers-by Shoppers returning home to get ready For evenings of fun and company With family, friends, lovers; people
The late afternoon sun descends Leaving me once again with darkness And my company of imaginary friends Their knotted faces fading finally to black
Comments