Dial Tones

Voices sung into my heart
a music they vowed would never stop,
push button mercy
by the arms of their cell,
my life at peace
knowing there was always an ear
just a call away.

During times my words hummed in calm
oh the conversations we would share,
of life and love and every dream,
their devotion a blanket I wore
so sure it would hold me
through any crisis or calamity.

When unemployed came as a shocking broom
the phones rang more without getting answers,
messages left returned so seldom,
still friends to the end,
sadly way too busy,
apologies and silence
lasting till new job was found.

Our reunion came once my pocketbook was secure,
affections flowing during our heart felt lunches,
so convinced that distance had been a fluke.

Then my world was shattered by a life threatening illness,
all the numbers I tried to call,
once they learn of my condition,
stopped being able to be reached.

Told myself while in that intensive care bed
must be the lack of dial tones.