Puzzle Piece

Morning, in Mind Games

where muzak fills the air.

Two shelves up, a box

neatly wrapped in plastic

the glossy photo of a woman

etched with delicate lines

an almost seamless whole

the pieces cut to tight tolerances

the image,

rectangular – complete.

 

Afternoon, with gentle snow,

the dog’s curled up by the fire.

I sit at the table stacking pieces

by color

by shape

by color

by shape.

 

But the pieces fit badly,

leave holes

the cover doesn’t show.

I fight through the day,

endless circling, searching

for a starting point

to undo the fracturing,

to rebuild her.

 

Evening, half-dark, moonlit snow

dying embers shimmer gracefully

the woman sits, half assembled

less a challenge than a meditation.

 

Plastic crackles in the trash

trying to regain it’s former shape

the cardboard sits, neatly cut

waits for tomorrow by the hearth

its usefulness found at last

…tinder for the flames.