tell me

when does a word turn into a pen?

                   an open mouth a seventeen lined poem,

                  a thought a fifteen page paper describing

                   what a mess my mind is and how I

                   needs to turn into us you or we,

                   yet it has only turned into a pen.

tell me

when did my dictionary stop accepting new words?

                  how is every question met with an

                  interesting or i don't know or sure

                   and a shrug of the shoulders, or a

                   may I have sometime to think

                   of an answer to this question please?

tell me

how did spending time replace

                  getting to know you's and when did

                  small talk replace explorative conversations,

                   late nights and long days filled with curiosity

                   attempting to know the other better

                    while simultaneously learning self better?

tell me

when did I lose touch?

                   how did adding 2 + 2 stop equaling 4

                   and it being left at that, no question

                   no challenge and no attempt at saying

                   otherwise   comfort  acceptance   aka

                   lack of drive to know and to be known.

tell me

when did I get this way?

                   no way and every way at the same time,

                   why have my lack of words begun to be met

                   with an abundance of tears,

                   when did I become so emotional

                            and so wordless?

tell me when...