Time. Elapsed.

Time.

Elapsed.

One moment

Then another

Then another.

You thought you’d grasped it

but now it’s

passed.

And if you blink quick

mind racing

heart beating

but

body stiff

You might see

brightly coloured distractions jump up

Screaming:

Pick me, pick me!

we’re having a sale

on that thing you don’t need

on that thing

you hadn’t noticed existing

until you accidentally laid your eyes upon

BOLD RED LETTERS

proclaiming it was cheap.

And now

somehow

you’re convinced

it will alter

this mundane life

you seem to lead.

And

on every screen

flickering pictures

showing

waif shadows of people you didn’t think you wanted to be.

But their wily, temptress, smokey eyes shout:

Be me, be me!

I can make your

hair bounce/ teeth gleam/ face resemble plasticine

And then:

Fuck me, fuck me!

I can play

enticing

erotic tricks

with your last shred

of self-esteem.

And rosy red, juicy lips

wrap

tantalisingly

around

a delicious treat.

Consisting of something that mysteriously alludes to fruit without a nutrient to be seen.

Eat me, eat me,

it says.

But simultaneously

you must work harder to be thinner.

And each

carefully etched

face of perfection

whispers:

I can conceal reality until your aspirations get dimmer.

And

on a never-ending digital roll call

of people you used to see

“an inspiring quote about someone you wish you were but, alas, have never been.”

Oh.

Time.

You think you almost had a glimpse of it once, last week

but you were busy

sifting through

carefully edited images

of someone else’s dreams

Displayed

So, so vividly

on a high-definition

imagination machine.

And

you could almost

believe

they were yours.

And you know this isn’t it,

but it grabs your attention

so you forget why you came here.

And

before you know it,

an hour

a day

a month

a year.

Time.

Elapsed.

One moment

Then another

Then another.

You thought you’d grasped it

but now it’s gone.

And if you blink quick

mind racing

heart beating

body stiff.

You might not see it

pass you by

while you dream

of

ghosts

of people

you’ve wasted

half a lifetime

aspiring to be.