Misunderstanding Poem by Shirani Rajapakse

He’s lying in a hospital bed. She doesn’t know.
Three days she hasn’t heard from him.

The phone’s been silent. Her mind drifts to
unwanted places. She sees him with another,

doing things they used to do.
Her mind plays games yet she doesn’t want to

pick up the phone, unsure of what he’d say.
Unsure of who would pick up, a stranger’s voice

she doesn’t want to hear while on the other
side of town he waits, wondering what has taken

her so long. Has she lost interest so soon? He looks
at the phone and wonders if she’s with someone

else. The pain moves to his heart but something
holds him back. Life drifts past like trains in the dark.