You Are Old Now. Poem by RIC BASTASA

when i step into the room
i could have told you
but you are the one always speaking

'the king can do no wrong'

i look at the pile of books
silent damn books

i am following your footsteps
into that
hateful anonymity

when time brings us all here
we are told
we have not really done anything great

the books of our lives
will be consisting of empty pages

you were so engrossed in speaking
and i am lost in my
boredom

i was thinking of those that have not arrived here
those who have also given
hope like me but they are still in some unknown places

i turned off my cell phone
this time i must confront the void
into speechlessness

into my failures
for what i have not done

before i left the room i took one book
it is not that the king can do no wrong

there is no king.