Comfort Zones

the ice cream melted and began to flow
colors all jumbled and soon there was no distinction
it was warming and becoming one with the atmosphere around
former mounds of sweet
reduced now to liquid tickles as they made their way down

gentle laps of ocean waves gliding onto salty sand
made wet with a touch, a gentle caress of blue
splash and it's gone

on a wintery night somewhere transfixed
stand two lovers
gazing,
oblivious ...

how I remember and find myself yearning
lost in a fog of photos spilled across time and forgotten faces
there on the floor in no particular fashion
jigsaw of places and smirks
turned up noses and half focused shots
a flash of recognition, perhaps
maybe not

he walks every night into his house
always the same,
opens the car door, then shut
pulls out his cooler and dumps out the ice
how was his lunch today, I wonder
as I peer across the fence that divides

we walk along quietly, each respecting our side
eyes never meet, just a token hello
and close the gate as we enter
enter into where
our comfort zones
of habit
of boredom
of being alone...