A forgetful optimist questions
everything, hoping that the future
will provide an encouraging answer
his brain refuses to surface.
What memories linger, hidden
under a skull and time-worn skin,
lost among dreams
he neglected too long, too long
until skin dries and withers —
black and white photos become sepia
become something unrecognizable
even to those we love.
The optimist knows the sun will rise
tomorrow, even as the irony of
light shining on a mind gone dark
flies over his head, skin and all.
© 2021 | Phillip Knight Scott
Prompts:
- Your Daily Word Prompt: Anomaly – #YDWordPrompt
- Word of the Day Challenge: Forgetful
- New2Writing #writephoto: Skulls
- Sammi’s Weekend Writing Prompt #232: Question

Skulls – Image by KL Caley
Interesting piece, Phillip. Well done.
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Beautiful and sad.
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Thanks 🙂
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Writing something for so many different prompts is hard!
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Wow – great job combining all the prompts. Thank you so much for joining in #writephoto. KL ❤
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