The Cape of Ennui

The Cape of Ennui

He could do little to move the mood, the
boulder that inhabited his chest. Stubborn as
saturated firewood, it was molten and smoldered,
scorching to the touch,
freezing to the joy he sought.
Moments landed like transient moths that
distracted him for only seconds at a time.
Then, reminded by the default setting, the
wistful discontent that inhabited him like
a second soul shrouding his own,
he wished for worlds that would never be.
Memories were failures,
old friends were suspended where he could
barely see their shadows against the waning sun.
Babies, grandchildren, memorized songs and
an unexpected phone call
all
lit his eyes with love. But
once they were gone, especially the songs,
the tears rose to their standard level again.

He thought he might visit the pub in hopes
of the holy laughter that cuts through the fog
and lifts the cape of ennui for an afternoon.