Laura's Fault

What is the age

of reality itself

Older than

a metaphor

Unreferenced

on a shelf

What is the distance

unmeasured from within 

Spoken of

but never seen

A poets

dying whim

What is time uncounted

as numbers lose their clout

The hourglass

returned to sand

An abacus

in doubt

What is love ungifted

but feelings’ last excuse

To roam unlinked 

between the chains

And blame it

—on the Muse

(Dreamsleep: December, 2023)