There are shards of glass on the floor.
There were vases on the shelf.
Now there are shards of glass on the floor.

The first vase falls with a crash.
Its delicate beauty shatters into a thousand infinitesimal pieces.

The second vase falls with a crash just the same.
The broken glass mingles on the floor.

The third and fourth fall together.
The crash is twice as loud.

And each crash after that is just as loud.
Just as loud.
Just as loud.
Just as loud.

But you don’t hear them.
Not each crash.
Not anymore.
You see them fall, but you aren’t surprised.
You see them fall, but you don’t watch.
Not each crash.
Not anymore.

You hear one great crash.
The shattering of glass.
You see the vases fall.

But you are watching the shattered glass.

There are shards of glass on the floor.