Friday, October 16, 2015

Old man sleeping

 

Ahead of me in the aisle
An old man sat in one of
The store’s electric carts
Looking down at the box of
Cereal in his hand.  As I
Neared I saw he was asleep.
The box dropped to the floor.

His eyes opened and he looked
Down.  His expression didn’t
Change as he reached for it.
A store-clerk rushed to pick
It up and put it back in his hand.
At home I looked from shelf to
Shelf, pulling out a book, putting

It back.  Fearing the empty tablet
On my desk, I’d no Satan to
Portray nor white whale to spear.
Going down to the garage I lifted
Weights until my head hurt.  My
Grip was stronger than it seemed,
But she still slipped away.  I thought

Of her less and less.  I taped her
Photo in my tablet but she still
Dwindled.  The house hummed
Not unlike she did during her
Last hours, breathing out the
Air one sigh at a time.  Picking
Up my tablet I sighed and sighed.

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