Uninvited

Unin­vit­ed, can­cer places a coin
on the side
Wait­ing, chalk­ing a cue.
Shot for shot, we are mute.
Balls clink, rearranged and briefly still.
Our hopes for vic­to­ry, stretched and snapped.

Below the table her ball drops
out of sight
slip­ping into the pock­et
with a telling clink
We roll on in a lead­en waltz
rearranged and briefly still.