the world is coated
in an absolute
silence
no planes or cars or chatter

just the whump whump
of the ceiling fan
steadily
keeping the time

as if this
is still dream
cradling my mind
in an alien surrealism

a bird let’s out
a sharp cry
reality rubber bands backs
into the humming cacophony

i let out the breath
i didn’t know
i was holding
the noise fills the room again