Expectations change with loss.
As once cozy days lapse into a weary haze.
Normal takes a sabbatical;
Home sickness pervades like the first night of summer camp.
Difference introduces herself but seems unfriendly and
Fails to seduce.
Forward feels foreign and awkward,
Confused you remain silent,
Seek solace in mirrors,
Watch strangers stare at flat screens in the airport lounge,
Memories smile as you reminisce.
In the barroom mirror you see shades of greed and envy reflected in the airport lounge,
The expected no longer nurtures
The elixir of intended destinations wears thin.
And the coffee has grown cold.
Then a voice announces time for boarding,
You walk to the gate, numb,
Wish you had ordered a stiff drink,
A one way ticket in hand.
From the airport window, you notice
Yesterday wave a distant goodbye;
You buckle up your heart for an uncharted flight.
Peer out a tiny portal at what once felt like home,
Hear echoes of ghosts roar in loud jet engines,
Take flight to an unfamiliar destination,
Grip your seat, lean back and turn from loss,
Begin anew.
THH
2-9-25
Thoughts Have Hands 