Voice of the Night Pharmacy, Night 7 | Within a Closed World

The Voice of the Night Pharmacy
appeared quietly tonight
in a 'night of not knowing'.

That person
had already stopped
searching for reasons.

What is happening, and how?
Where is the dead end?
Just trying to think about it
made their breathing shallow.

So,
they chose, just for tonight,
to remain in a state of not knowing.

They opened the door
and sat down in a chair.

Not enough to lean back and rest,
not enough to move forward.

But,
sitting here,
was something I could allow myself to do.

I asked nothing.
If I put it into words,
this person would surely
blame themselves
for being unable to explain.

That is not the work for tonight.

From the back of the shelf,
I took out a small snow globe.

It is not for sale,
nor is it anything special.
It has just been sitting there
for a long time.

I
shook it gently.

Inside the transparent sphere,
white flakes
began to dance slowly.

That person
watched the movement
without saying a word.

Whether it is closed,
or whether they can get out,
I do not think about that now.

Just,
something that is moving
is right before my eyes.

Until the snow finished falling,
we sat in silence,
gazing at the same scene.

Sometimes,
that is enough for a night.

Before long, that person
stood up quietly,
gave a small bow,
and opened the door.

Nothing had changed.
The situation
remained the same.

But,
a time where one doesn't have to decide anything
was,
certainly, here.

Returning home,
I turn off the lights.

In the back of the shelf,
I find a snow globe that has been there for a long time.

There is no reason.
It was just
there.

That person
picked it up,
and for a while, did nothing.

Even without shaking it,
just leaving it there
was enough for tonight.

The night
flows on quietly.

With the snow not dancing,
the inside of the sphere
remained, as always, quiet.

The Voice of the Night Pharmacy
is softly lit,
even on nights of not knowing.