Last Shred of Paper
Swimming against a background of
midnight blue satin
gulls flew overhead
out beyond sight of the window frame
no other human connections within the
stone walls
remained not even a memory of their
footsteps
from a world gone past.
Last desire burning away in that
forgotten fireplace
the tiniest shred of paper that bore
the words
“Life simple and free”
blew past the grille
down the narrow staircase
into the violets gracing the
front doorstep
never to be seen by anyone brave enough
to pass by.