A touch was once not worth a lot 

and simply sold as shallow fun

Most commonly I cherished it

or traded for pink chewing gum

 

Unremembered seems the game

with tiles no one could see

unspoken rules and only 

two players: you and me 

 

The moment that I opened up

you teased me with your stare 

The only thing we open now

are windows for fresh air

 

My collection of bold realities

will simply go to waste 

I stored them all under my bed

and never learned their taste

 

Now that we’ve turned to distance 

those souvenirs from long ago

still impact me but not as much

as my favourite tv show

 

We still do talk from time to time

but only on the internet

about the days we leave the couch 

to snack or smoke a cigarette

 

I often put myself on mute

to float away in space

but still I find my feelings

reflected in your frozen face

 

What of the things around us

will stand the test of time?

I keep my wishes small today

but I hope that you are fine

 

Amelie Schlögelhofer

April 2, 2020

 

Prof. Judith Eisler, Institut für Bildende und Mediale Kunst