What Sign of Absence?

by Chris Vaillancourt

What sign
of absence
does a normal man
have to enforce to
suggest
alone?

Sun burned snow?

Pockets of lint forever
needing to
be emptied.

A glance back
at a stream
of consciousness
that
used to
drip like water
into a
bell.

The sign
of leaving
is flashing.
It beckons
in
amber yellow.

You don't have to
whisper
secrets anymore.

I'm not listening.