Day 2: Voice

 

Today's prompt was all about voice. To vary the voice in a poem or to use dialogue.  

So I got to thinking about what happens between the lines of dialogue, how it can be so superficial, so insubstantial.




Asides

"How are you?"
Heartbeat held to ransom.
"Good."
Lie; a lovelorn sigh.
Proceed with reflex gusto.
"And you?"
Try to feign indifference.
"Can't complain."
No. Happy are the coupled, complete, canoodled
free from pain.
Awkward pause. Stretch until taut, 
wound-wrought.
"That's good."
Great. Greatest. Merit marks. Golden stars cascade.
"Haven't seen you in while."
Stage directions: smile. Diffuse accusation.
Shrug, cough, continue avoiding 
your eye.
"See you later then."
No need to drag it out.
Infinity stretched 
to this thin line of masquerade.
"Yes see you later."
Enforced jollity. Hitch voice to sky.
Before - a promise, a wish, a want -
now, a nuisance empty chant.
Don't wait for goodbye. Walk on. Fake smile. 
Somewhere, a supernova dies.
Universe in decline.
All those things we never said -
all those other times
pulsing for the next mile.