We shared a joke once

We shared a joke, once,

a bright spark in a dark room,

    laughter that echoed, then faded,

    turning now into a punchline

    that fell flat,

    brittle and awkward,

    a reminder of moments

    that live in the past.

A text thread flickered,

a screen cracked like our humor,

    and the faces within,

once bright with glee,

    now turned away,

cringing at what we thought

was so clever,

    a comedy of errors,

    now only a shadow.