A Jar of Cookies

You are at your desk at work
and by your arm sits a jar
of your favourite cookies.
You reach in, pull one out
and make it delight your mouth
then reach in, pull another out
make it delight your mouth
while you work work work work work
so you dip in to pull one out
it’s empty! The jar is empty!
you ate the last piece
without knowing it.

and it’s a terrible feeling
a sudden hurtful terrible feeling
that hits like a rock
or a kick in the groin
or the end of the world
a loss, forever lost.

If you had a warning
you would have nibbled
the last piece lovingly
with the solemn knowing
of a final goodbye
but you had no warning.

Call your mother now
(or whoever you have left).