Lethe

There is something
that you must do,
and you can't remember
what it is,
so you begin searching
your mind and your house
for notes to yourself,
and start calling
family, friends, your dentist
asking,
"Did we have a lunch date today?"
or
"Do I owe you any money?"
and they say "No," or
"No, no, I don't believe so," and ask
"Is something wrong?"
but you don't answer,
just hang up and call another,
and this goes on until late into the night
and when it's almost tomorrow
you try to sleep,
but jump up every time
you feel that memory
close to the edge
of your mind,
until suddenly
you find yourself
awakening from nightmares
where you
are losing all your teeth
or people are telling you
that they don't
love you
anymore.

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