A Little Red Light

The message light
On the phone
Glowed red.

I knew it was you.

But it’s too soon
To hear your voice.

If I did
You would wear me down
And we would spiral
Into the same old nose dive.

I pushed the delete button.
The red light went off.
I pretended to not care.

But I do care.

I just can’t care for you
And myself too.

You suck all the oxygen from the room.
You bleed away all the joy.
You extinguish every pleasure.
You postpone the future.

I know this.

So why do I care?

How may
A little red light
Burn so brightly?