Starving

When laughter leaves, the kindness that remains is incidental to civility, the bland politeness, the ability to feign that graciousness is what sustains when underneath, the captive anger reigns and finding life in possibility increases hope's invisibility as once-firm knowledge of will's freedom wanes. When years have passed in blind submission's care, can passion reignite when backs unbend and legs, long crumpled, learn at last to dance? No fortitude (however sure) can bear the pain of ancient wounds none cared to mend that could be healed by but one loving glance.