White Noise

 

I’ve moved on, I say.

Carrying on

day-by-day.

 

Cranking up white noise

drowning out the humming,

pesky fly.

An ever-stealthy alarm

palpates, murmuring

I’m still here

don’t go

this story has more pages yet.

 

Muzzled and corked

time marches forth

creating new pinholes

and releasing the warmth

teasing the promise

of an age without storms.

 

You’re so strong, they say.

So proud of how you

stayed the course.

 

And still–

 

Dampened laughter masks

constrained affection.

A parasitic shadow with the mass

of a dozen years

laces the outline of my smile.

Tormented by a certain shade of pink

until the ties of words and tears

have ruptured.

 

I’m fine, I say.

Just another day.