silence turns to distance

and time slips on by

stacking years against the fence

until the gate is fully blocked 

with you on your side

and me on mine

and the job of clearing the way again

feels too big for this old body

and the pain of cracking ribs open

to reach the heart of the matter

seems like something 

I’m not certain to survive

so until some major miracle occurs

I’ll be here with my memories 

of how I thought I was with you

that maybe really never happened