Poem – “The Eyes are Set Deep” – 5/9/2023

The same song
carried, from lips
made of marble.

Who were you,
other than another
long-casted shadow?

I felt sunrises
leaking into minutes more,
hanging on like forsaken blessings,
hanging like curtains
that were draped over your face,

at the final stage,
the final mile.

Who were you,
other than one more
flake of dust, set upon a shoulder,
with no hand, no glimmer
of light from some ample source?

One more death,
without remembering
your last breath,
without understanding
the reason
for the lack of another.

Who were you,
other than just another
outline among the snow?

I never saw you
while my eyes are set deep,
entrenched in oldness,
consumed in coldness,
failing to reassure himself
of the seconds left
to his own fortunate fate.