I hurt myself last night,

indirectly, in the harsh light of a 20 watt shadow

but instead of beating myself up

and seeing people who have wandered

in and out of my life,

their times and happiness running

through my head, I chose to quieten

them all by looking at Google Maps

and the places where my own happiness

briefly

once stood like a monument

in a desert occupied by barking dogs

and rivers

damned up long ago.

Never trust Time

to stand still for you,