Stark Raving Sanity

Clueless
by Susan Terris

Unsure of what
to do:
no voice, no eyes
a hollow gnawing
taste and smell only an echo
left then with
pebbles underfoot
vibration of piano keys
and of a clock striking one
madness, mystery
and nothing to go on
except sensitive fingertips
ravelling clews of yarn
or riffling through
baskets of
seashells, shards, feathers
yes, Braille would help
if only she'd memorized more
than elevator numbers:
one, two, three
twelve, fourteen, fifteen
counting
she searches pockets
purses, clothes hampers
discarding books
and eyeglasses, casting aside
hats and earrings
aware car keys move, as do
scissors and Scotch tape
but some things should be
rooted or there's no
reason, so unreasoned
by darkness and silence
she slouches in a tub
lets steam rise genie-like
to sit upon her shoulders
soothe migraines
of a phantom scalp
How could she have been
so careless?
This is a woman who has truly
lost
her head.


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