Courage

Alexandra briskly paced the floor,

gradually increasing her gait

with each lap around the room

all that had been bottled up

seeped through and kidnapped her thoughts,

ripping apart her once calm demeanor,

a deck of cards once 52 strong,

hearts first,

now stacked with clubs and jokers

Alexandra paused by an open window

studying her breath,

gazing out across the frozen street

as another rusted trolley car

rumbled along the soon-to-be derailed tracks

devoid of passengers

she picked up the phone

dismissing the silence:

“This will no doubt be our last time speaking”, she blurted,

each word perfectly enunciated like a dirge at a funeral

silence returned its bellowing predictable response:

“we must consider one another’s pledge to inspire all that is vibrant,

healthy; our pledge to drink only sweetness from each other’s cup.”

“Yes, that was our agreement”, the disembodied voice at the other end sighed, disguised as an echo.

“But then I had the courage, the energy, visions.”

“Yes, it feels like another lifetime”, her husband forlornly confessed.

Courage written in chalk, fades into loose powder.

Spring, 2015

Delray Beach, Fl