Death – Page 20 – Iron Haiku

staring at the floor
scuffed and worn beneath my seat
from those in my shoes
–
dawn breaks-
outside the
waiting room

a quick glimpse into
the recesses of my soul
is all I can bear
–
sinister clouds-
reflections of
black water

families asunder-
buzzards circling high above
the southwest desert
–
riding the smoke-
wild horses
in the distance

lying in my bed
beautiful and poisonous
twisted in the sheets
–
african sun-
death lurks
in the tall grass

all I have of you-
the crossword and a ring left
by your coffee cup
–
saplings-
rooted
in the shade

holes in the floorboards-
the regal oak panel door
left hanging askew
–
no longer a home-
dim autumn light
caught in the cobwebs

the knife in my back
carved the windows in the walls
I’d built for myself
–
creeping ivy-
ruins of stone
foundations

alone on the road
speeding towards oblivion
far away from you
–
velvet panic-
our safe word
forgotten

his paper thin skin
stretched across arthritic hands
so easily bruised
–
a spreading elm-
our initials
overgrown

a shattered windshield-
shards of broken promises
spread across the road
–
text messages-
driving past what
used to be a car