I try to picture your face to the point that I’m straining
But it’s a blur shot through with skin tone fractals
My mind’s eye is stuck on other things
That were in the peripheral
Victims from car crashes
often mention that
they only remember
the red digits on the dashboard
The brain trying
to create a selective memory
so that what’s left
isn’t too traumatic
I know it’s trying to spare me
from holding your pain too long
but sometimes
it would be nice to see your face
even if it hurts.
Wow, powerful poem! I like the stanza about what victims from car crashes remember; it presents a concrete image (the red digits on the dashboard) while also heightening the sense of shock and devastation that the speaker conveys. Beautifully written!