Tabula Rasa

It’s the awkward pause when I draw a blank. All the dreams I can’t recall. And those whispered tender mercies That don’t echo down the hall. It’s the lack of depth to the story’s plot; Not much drama after all these years. It’s the empty stare when I hear a song That used to always bring me tears. It’s forsaken anniversaries And birthdays unobserved. Every summertime vacation Family portrait that’s been blurred. All these careless reminiscences That never cross my mind Are the way I put my thoughts on hold, And keep my feelings undefined. In the dull routine of simple tasks, The rituals that satisfy my needs, I elevate my posture, Positioning my head above the weeds. From my early morning walk about, Till quarter past my last cold brew, I spend my day deliberately forgetting All those many times I’d been a fool for you.