Imperfections

Indentations in a carpet
where time got away
while cancer undetected
crawled on little spider legs
deeper into her bones

Middle C sticks just enough
throwing off the pianist’s rhythm
distorting the practiced sound
a leaf blower echoes in dreams
while earth dies a slow death

Whispered fantasies
into an aluminum can
across taut string
through strange ears
deaf for twenty years

Indentations
stick just long enough
for time to get away,
throwing rhythm off and
distorting practiced sounds
the deaf will never hear