The walls were a friend

until they started closing in

crushing

and grinding

with the dark edge of lonely

with the desire for wonder

The isolation was healthy

until the thoughts came whispering

their offers of addiction

forbidden desire

and the chains that keep a slave from moving on

a world of video

cannot numb the ache for something personal

losing ourselves in a jungle of game theory

cannot tame the hunger for something real

we can only be whole if we are connecting…

is anyone out there

in the stars over our bed

or outside the rage of our human prison

is anyone listening…