I Remember Loneliness

I remember loneliness clearly,
As though it had come upon me only this morning.

I remember the crushing weight that trapped my heart
Between bitterness and Nothing.

I remember the earthquake
That shook the stone from beneath my feet,
And sent me tumbling into a state of not-being.

I remember the quilted walls that burned away,
Revealing cold concrete and iron bars.

I remember how peripheral vision
Revealed leafy treetops and gaping laughter,

...And I remember how trying to focus
Left only skeletal branches and grinning skulls.

I remember the lifeless chill
That sucked away my skin’s warmth,
Leaving me blue and blue.

I remember loneliness clearly,
As though it had come upon me only this morning

...Because it had.