coming & going as they please
something touched my shoulder
perhaps I had been dozing off
in & out of a dream
my eyes flickered
but it was too dark to see
instead heard metallic wind chimes
as if they had just been rewound
whoever was responsible
[for the touching and/or rewinding]
did not show themselves
in fact I started to believe they had minimized themselves
having fled into the woods behind the garden
it was cold out but plenty bright
and when I opened the blinds
the light was blinding
and for a brief moment I thought I saw them
I should have known not to open the blinds
at least not without an approving birdcall
something that had been missing
since before my self-induced slumber
I’m stuck
where I’ve been stuck
for what seems like a fortnight now
this rectangular room seemingly self-sustaining
three sides made of glass
the other w/a singular door
slightly ajar
floral & fauna
completely silent
looking in from the outside
may two thousand twenty-three
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved