While I Was Away II
©1998 by Word Mage

while i was away
things began to happen
love, so strong and sure
crumbled
over fiber optics
and liquid screens
the best technology
could not save
a soft heart
soft memories
tender moments
no armchair
no nook
no hope
no wisdom
nothing
not the sound of your voice
the whispered touch of your hand
the imaginings
of breaths
and moans
and grunts
of sex
and love
nothing...
not....
a...
single...
thing
could save us
fighting
always
for our love
for the other's heart
taking offense where none was meant
and curling into my chair
the day after...
"Call me" you typed
"Please!! I Need You!!"
your mantra across the screen
large letters, small letters, bold and italic
screaming at me through a liquid screen
and my own
constant refusal
"no. no no no."
for hours on end
"CALL!!!"
"no."
trying to explain
"Neither of us can afford to pay the bills"
"I don't Care!! I NEED YOU!! I'M CRAZY ABOUT YOU!!!"
you'd finally said it
but
...Something...
locked,
froze
"NO!"
and you kept typing
and typing
...............and typing
...............................and typing
....................................................and typing....
"SHUT UP!!!!!!"
listen to me!!
you're not listening....
and....
Something
....cracks
two words
my "voice"
and my own heart
breaks.....
and no armchair
no nook
no hope
no wisdom
could save us
(buried deep
small
forgotten
raw
hungry
exposed
throbbing
soreness
an itty
bitty
teeny
tiny
miniscule
mushroomheart
the irony:
............did he jump?
or was it murder?)