Sea of Beds

Living amongst a sea of beds full of poor souls

Lost – lonely – trapped in their own worlds,

Places we will never see – Can’t be – Or follow,

Their destinations are exclusive – Private

Availability just for one.

Those of us on the fringe

Wonder – Worry – Conjecture,

Must use our imaginations

To try to peer through their eyes,

See what’s on the other side.

Some are quiet – Serene – Lost in a dream,

Others – Angry – Frustrated – Violent,

Crying out loud – Screaming and afraid,

Terrifying nightmares torture their beings.

There I lay in my room with a view,

Exhausted – Lonely – Frightened

Caught in my own torment of pain

Confusion – Frustration – Loneliness – Despair,

Living between Past and Present,

No Future yet to see.

Our paths quite similar

Although They’re further along,

Kindred Spirits amongst a sea of beds,

Trapped in our minds with nowhere to go.

by, Anne Paterson

*Riverbabble online mag Issue #34, April, 2019