“I’m terribly sorry,” he says in a voice so refined
you are surprised at politeness from this man
who has lately been known for his snarky humor,
his irate comments, his irrational needs,
“But I’ve forgotten who you are”
Who you are is a firefly in a jar flashing,
your face so familiar in the sudden light but extinguished
before his sad cells can really see the name
of the girl child, his first born,
the unspoken pain of lost memories
like reeds floating in darkness
on the edge of a pond where insects fly
unseen except for the edges of wings
flashing briefly in moonlight.
Wendy Thornton is freelance writer, editor, published internationally, as well as in Epiphany, MacGuffin, and other publications. Her books are: Essays, Sounding the Depths (2018). Mystery, Bear Trapped: In a Trashy Hollywood Novel (2015). Memoir, Dear Oprah: How I Beat Cancer and Learned to Love Daytime TV (2013). Nominated for a Pushcart Prize, Thornton was often Editor’s Pick on Salon.com. She founded (www.writersalliance.org).
