Jason Huskey: Poem


DECENCY IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Your phone rings.

An old lady crosses the street.

Your phone rings.
Her purse dangles.
Arms frail as a snowman's.

Your phone rings.

Our eyes touch.
We offer a moment of morning.
I can only think about you.

Your phone rings.

She touches my hand.
Says I remind her of —
She says I remind her of —

Your phone rings.

The purse smacks pavement.
Calcium collides to a hundred snaps.
We let our eyes reconnect.

Your phone rings.

She won't blink.

Your phone rings.

I want her to blink.
Pale irises frozen to November.

Your machine answers.

I tell you I love you.
I tell you for the first time.

Your machine fills with my voice.



Mr. Huskey writes poetry and fiction. His work has appeared in a few journals, including Keyhole Magazine, Thieves Jargon, Word Riot, and Zygote In My Coffee. Links to his work can be found at http://jasonlhuskey.wordpress.com/. He lives in Virginia.