Eyes gaze

at the Meissen

cup and saucer,

white like the

exquisite Flemish

lace covering the

polished teak table

where fingers drum

on a yellowing

book cover;

inside on pages

sepia words crumble

like dried bones,

and the eyes

that once sought

after them

for meaning,

now gaze

immobile,

detached,

at someone’s fingers

drumming on a

yellowing book cover

drumming their

own retreat

from philosophy

that long ago

faded

and longer ago

was forgotten,

left

discarded

on the polished

teak table

covered by

exquisite Flemish lace,

white

like the Meissen

saucer and cup.

(Louis Kasatkin has asserted his Right under the Copyright,Designs&Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work)