avoidance…

words linger
beneath
breath
poised
like
alley cats
awaiting
their prey
nothing
to
say
it had been
a long
day
and
they were
passed
words
nothing
he had said
nor
she had said
had been
heard
for such
a long time
only
the occasional
sigh
broke
the silence
of
the dinner ritual
a ritual
carried out
as if
some ancient
tea ceremony
to
revive
inner peace
but
these moments
of
reflection
merely reminded
each of them
of
what
not
to say