back down the road re-trodden meeting that phantom
thinly transparent stripped of substance
bone with sinews about to snap
worn out muscles lost dreams now thin
blood seeping through over the years
only suggestions half prints in shifting sands
no transfusion from the present possible
water blood cannot flow backwards
dancing with shadows my arm stabs
through you as through old paper
pressed against vacancy held in
the power of long-gone hours
empty eye sockets at least an openness
no feigned passion or mock sighs
look through the vacancy into the skull
the white bone smooth and honed
cannot lie
flesh long gone even the skeleton wearing away
feel through the darkness the empty space
none of the trickery of flesh
only the density of bone
a tango of broken bones
dancing in a bag
shaken together
an anatomical puzzle
unsolvable