The Ventriloquist

when the rest of the world seemed so distant

and the invisibility of god was too much to fathom

i turned to a puppet

a stuffed brown dog i had named Grover

i confided in him earnestly

and he listened

offering respite in the solitude of my boyhood

i saw him as a friend

i saw him as real

confided in him

trusted him

until one evening

when reality set upon to my chagrin

and the illusions of my youth were obliterated

at that moment

i saw only a toy

between my face and my right hand

pulled him from my fingers

and tossed him across the dark of my bedroom

i cried deeply that night

for i had lost a friend

and was truly alone