There is subtly in grief

There is subtly in grief

A shadow passing over the eyes

When greeting a stranger

The reluctant smile

Barely creasing the face

The over-compensated handshake

Wild laughter

Slightly out of kilter

With the mood

Withdrawal into silence

Early departures

Late arrivals

Mumbled apologies

As the funeral story

Is wheeled out

To fill the silence

Before the entree

There are no appetizers

In polite conversation

Small talk sticks

In the throat

Every word uttered

Measured for partiality

Staccato replies ripped

From dry lips

Never trip lightly

From a tied tongue

They are seepage

To be mistaken for boredom

Or the product

Of a cultural snob

A superiority complex

When the truth

Is so much further away

Than the nearest bus stop

Panic is the driver

The funk of suffocation

Edging you over the cliff

Perhaps staying home

With chocolate

Is a better option