incommunicado
I called you on your cell phone but you hung up
you said the signal dropped there was static
on the line the cell phone towers
were in revolt the landline was decrepit
emails all bounced from the server
I couldn’t find you on the internet
you told me that the possibility of human communication
was diminishing from the earth
you put on a coat and walked out the door
it was so cold I almost didn’t follow
the streets were iced and I slid in my loafers
looking in the windows of closed coffee shops and shuttered dress boutiques
I saw you from across the street and tried to wave
but the fog was too thick-- you didn’t see me
I ran toward you
but was struck by a car as I crossed the street
you craned over my body
looked down into my eyes and I was dazed
saw your blurry visage descending ever closer
as I fell backwards into a long dark tunnel
__________
wallace barker lives in austin, texas and has degrees from the university of texas and texas state university. his poetry has appeared in the persona literary journal, banango street, and thousand shades of gray. his influences include james tate, sylvia plath and wallace stevens. more of his work can be found at wallacebarker.com.
