then so and

his heart broke
a long time ago

they did the surgery

to repair it

they added a stint

to help it along

and gobs of medication

to slow it down

then

came job after job

and everyone passed him up

and no solution existed

and no work could fix it

and every new idea bent and folded

so

he smiled an empty smile

and he laughed an empty laugh

but the bitterness leaked from his eyes

and it spread before him

and he sank as he walked

©Karen Casady 2018