Disconnected



The voice was soft,
But very clear,
In the part of my mind
That feels such things:

“We’re sorry;
The number you have reached
Has been disconnected.
No further information is
Available.”

I suppose I shouldn’t
Be so surprised;
The line between you and me
Has been checked for trouble
Time and time again.

There was a time when
We shared unlimited service
Between our souls,
Free of interference and
Immune to the static of life.

Whether it was demands
On my time or yours,
Life gave us other distractions,
New occupations for our minds,
Cluttering a previously
Unspoiled landscape.

As I listen to the busy signals
Emanating from your heart,
I look for another dime to drop
Into the slot of separation between us,
But it occurs to me, and
Not for the first time, that
I’m the only one paying this bill,
And if you’ve changed your number,
I wouldn’t reach you anyway.

It’s time to turn my mind
In another direction,
But I’ll leave the line open
In case you call again.

© 2008 by Robert E. Blackwell