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A bit late now

It was a hopeful set of words
slung together and cast
out into the churn of response

he thought
it's a liferaft of figleaves
and knew it to be
a ridiculous thought
even as he thought it

clinging to the lectern
as to life itself
he could hear the sounds
he made, dimly
as though through hair gel

I don't know if I can
carry on the thoughts
he thought the
words he spoke
then ceased to

he finished, blinking
unable

the silence swallowed him whole

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