“The Game” by Glenn W. Cooper

Glenn W. Cooper

THE GAME

For months now I’ve been
playing hard to get with
myself—ignoring my phone
calls, barely acknowledging
my presence in the mirror.
When through my dreams
I hear intimations of love
I roll over in bed and face
the other way. Little notes
of affection and flirtation
that appear daily in the mailbox
go unanswered. Slowly
I have become more and more
invisible to myself. Only
yesterday I noticed I walked
without a shadow and the day
before that in the storefront
window I watched as my
reflection left with someone
else. What would make a man
do such a thing? What could
he possibly have to gain by
pursuing such a strategy?

from Rattle #18, Winter 2002

__________

Glenn W. Cooper: “I live and write in Tamworth, Australia. I like rainy weather and junk food. When I’m not writing, I can be found worshipping at the altar of Bob Dylan. Ideally, I would like a life that didn’t require my presence.”

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