it was thursday, surely the anniversary of something you were sitting quietly watching shadows of the wind on cinderblock walls only breaking your gaze to look occasionally skyward you knew the airplanes would be landing soon you knew the lights in your neighbors' lonely houses would be going out soon they would sleep soundly that night though all dreams would be forgotten your stare moved blankly toward the setting sun you knew you would embrace the silence tonight you knew the darkness would be filled with your smile perhaps in another life i would have been there next to you as for now, i remain stuck to memories like poems on a page and even those inspiring words you painted on my bedroom wall are peeling away