Eternity Tree

Jason M. Thornberry,

In limbo, the first circle, daylight fades as I navigate a phone tree, on and off hold, holding the receiver to my aching ear as I cancel my cable service. The connection is scratchy, voices emerging and plummeting in the murk, interrupting the meandering melodies that crackle through to remind me where I am. Transferred again, I turn my head: I see a clock with shaky hands inching forward and backward, teaching me eternity. Drained now of blood, my hand grows numb as the music returns.

(Appeared in Door is a Jar Literary Magazine. Dec. 2022.)

Published by Jason M. Thornberry

Seattle writer Jason M. Thornberry’s work appears in The Los Angeles Review of Books, Soundings East, North Dakota Quarterly, and elsewhere. His work examines the complexities of family, disability, and music. Jason received a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Seattle Pacific University and an MFA in Creative Writing from Chapman University. He lives with his wife and dog in Seattle.

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