A decade elapsed
A decade and then some
Time and miles transpired
A spectrum nudged
Between abscessed tires
Surges of slithering rubber
Mechanics in tow
Harnessed by empty miles
The residence of sacred memories
Before they dissolved, seeped
And danced through
The ceramic cracks of my skull
My heart swells of ephemeral love
Plainsight of the cabinet
Meticulously manifested
For a reclusive glove
Destined for an empty hand

Emptiness often returns
Such as a passenger seat
Past entities haunt the throne
A calico of saturated stains
Create the pattern of their deception
The trophy of memories endured
Steer me in the wrong direction
Sunken roads invoke treachery
Hurdling ahead unbeknownst
The forgotten casket of thoughts
Within delusional lodge of affection

Drivers side
I learned you had died
Such as that of a mitochondria
A decaying cell
My heart had fell – crashing
Conjoined carelessly of a crater
Together they congealed
Renowned a lonely abyss  
Sympathetically sloughed away
Drifting disconnectedly
A piece that was never whole
Onslaughts of abrasive formations
Barrage this weary body
Intermittently shedding
Such as the flowers
Never thrown at our wedding

Barrett Banker is from Slidell But has lived in New Orleans since 2012. She happily resides in Mid-City with her 10 year old pet Chinchilla. She spends most of her days as a barista, but when she isn’t participating in coffee making, she likes writing, making music, painting, and making vegan snacks.

Editor’s note:  If you enjoy Barrett’s poetry, be sure to check out a few of our other featured poets!  Works by Julia Gene Taylor, Sharita Sims, Molly Kirschner, and Caroline Greenberg are excellent places to start!