Falling Eyes

 

It’s the creep that is so disconcerting, 

a slow inexorable tide of falling eyes.  

Where once, maybe only a few years back, 

there was the movement of people in public places 

taking in their surroundings, making eye contact 

here and there, maybe an exchange of smiles, 

a knowing glance between parents with energetic kids, 

or the flirtatious batting of eyelashes amongst 

the young and potentially procreative.  

But little by little, two by two, these eyeballs have fallen 

to the little rectangular box glowing in their hands,  

real world connections winking out 

like dying fireflies on a poisoned lawn.  

***