How Things Change

Suddenly things are not as they were
not surprising to you
but others are undone
by the nature of the change
or maybe change itself

maybe it’s how words once spoken
lose direction
especially the pronouns

there is the anxiousness
of each we that leaves a mouth
or the furtive i’s and you’s
and how once spoken they fly
to the nearest streetlight
and tremble ill at ease

you try to speak to your lover
but she cannot hear the words
that you speak like you
are miming your heart

and you are troubled by the tears
that rise like a tide
of deep unconscious sighs
or by the blue silver smoke
of a distant fire

she can hear your words
but the words are no longer working
she can only hear the roar
of dark sea beating
against an abandoned pier
reaching out into a salt lashed wind

there is the anxiousness
of each we that leaves a mouth
or the furtive i’s and you’s
and how once spoken they fly
to the nearest streetlight
and tremble ill at ease

you try to speak to your lover
but she cannot hear the words
that you speak like you
are miming your heart

and you are troubled by the tears
that rise like a tide
of deep unconscious sighs
or by the blue silver smoke
of a distant fire

she can hear your words
but the words are no longer working
she can only hear the roar
of dark sea beating

against an abandoned
pier reaching out
into a salt lashed
wind

© 2025 Chris Leibow — Salt Lake City artist and poet.
poetry, collage art, mixed media,
Explore more art at leibow.art.