When the Past Comes A-Knocking

You are caught by surprise. I was more surprised by how I felt.

Free Filling

In the sameness
and smallness
of your eyes,
I see
the reflection of
everyone around us,
watching us
as we are about to speak.

Silence settles
and shushes
the murmurings in their minds.

Fearing the void
any idle tongue can fill,
I gather a handful of words,
and toss them into the air with a laugh.
They springkle
and tinkle
and drift to the floor.

Then the shimmer
and sentiment settle,
and all that is left
is the sound
of the shovel
scraping the ground.