Teacups and Pens

One Last Heartbeat

The words drip

like melted wax

from an abandoned crayon,

left to burn

against the scorching concrete.

His eyes scream

a blistering, horrid sound

as the news

seeps into his ears.

‘Only a few moments remain.’

Her heart beats

an unsteady, vigerous

passionate rhythm

in the depths

of her failing body.

‘Thump. Thump. Thump.’

And the sigh lifts his

chest and slowly releases

it’s grasp on his mind.

Everything inside him swells.

She inhales,

feeling the fear,

the passion, the frustration

run deep through her soul.

A touch upon her heart.

And in that moment,

everything stopped.

Everything was forgotten

Everything was forbidden

Everything was forgiven.

All that was left

was the beats of their hearts

and the breaths,

in which they took

with pain.

They silently swore

they’d always be connected,

wherever they may be,

by the exchange of

tensed glances.

She felt the pull

of the disease calling her,

beckoning her into

the land where she

could be at peace.

Then, the spirit of life,

of humankind, of reality

swept her away

leaving nothing but

a bittersweet memory.

Slowly, he lifted

himself from the chair

in which he sat

closing his eyes and

inhaled deeply.

Continued on to

sorrowfully walk

from the concrete box,

with the endless, dreaded sound

ringing in his ears.