And We Wanted More From Nothing

A Poem

Photo by Marcel Strauß on Unsplash

reckonings were not always my favorite sport,
but they tended to come in waves (oh, they did)

until a bitter fashion
came to light
in loops

and there’s something to be said
for unfortunate beginnings springing true

and there’s something to be said
for little known happenings coming to light

i knew it, you knew it —
but did anyone else?

oh, you think you know —
but then you cast a different card down

and suddenly
the entire playing field changes

i thought i knew the cards at play
better than all the rest —
but maybe i didn’t

maybe all i thought i knew
was smoke and mirrors

even so,
i cannot stand in the moment
and be charmed to effect

no one knew better than me
the cost of a life
spent on someone else’s whims