A Disconnected Memory
A poem by Lylanne Musselman

A Disconnected Memory
In a quaint café I dine alone, hungry
for breakfast. Happy for some me time.

I journal while waiting for a Belgian Waffle,
blueberries and bacon; sipping coffee, I look up –

notice everyone around me, couples and loners alike
staring at cell phones. None of the couples engaged

in conversation. No one else writing poems
or grocery lists, just mindless scrolling.

Suddenly I’m in another quaint café, dining with
the one I loved. Gazing into each other’s eyes.

Our conversation endless. We noticed other couples,
staring at walls or outside instead of into each other’s eyes,

anxiously awaiting their food to arrive, breaking their trance
from the mundane. Future exes we vowed to make every moment count,

long before handheld devices became the norm,
and an excuse to disconnect.

About the Author:

Lylanne Musselman is an award-winning poet, playwright, and visual artist. Her work has appeared in Poetry Breakfast, The Tipton Poetry Journal, Indianapolis Review, and The Ekphrastic Review, among others, and many anthologies. Musselman is the author of the full-length poetry collection, It’s Not Love, Unfortunately (Chatter House Press, 2018). Her sixth chapbook, Staring Dementia in the Face (Finishing Line Press) became available in July, 2023.

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