diminished discourse

for a brief second it
flashes by
an image so
familiar it is the present
as though things never changed over
the years of nothing for no reason of
diminished discourse subdued into
silence so profound it echoes through
nerves and grey matter rattling stunning in
its quiet now shaken alive she sits wearing the
same clothes
same shoes
same expression
looking beyond laughing
smiling lulling in sweetness
and through a gasp an attempt to
reach back recover the image save it
in order to turn it savor it remember grasp
at long moments of contentment but
it disappears as quickly as it showed itself
and the rift bloody and sorrowful rips open again
heart torn from chest the mind sifts through debris
and comes up short
and sad

©Karen Casady 2018