It's You? Isn't It? Poem by Dónall Dempsey

IT'S YOU? ISN'T IT?


Facebook messages me
to phone home as soon

as possible.

Our home phone is down.
Other phones just ring and ring.

Or lead me up a cul-de-sac
of leaving a message

to a ghostly mechanical
voice.

Messages answering messages.
No actual real live people involved.

Finally I do
what I should have done

all along
(((((((call you.))))))

So, I do.

"Hiya Bud, can you call me?
Something bad seems to have happened!
Get back to me as soon as you can! "

You do not call back.

You lie there not
listening to me.

You never get back
to me.

Never will.

It's you?
Isn't it?

The bad thing that has
happened?

Death listening at the end of the line.

Saying not a word.