Jailbreak

A life sentence without parole  

That's how I was living

Resigned to it

A ten-foot cell of loneliness

I convinced myself I deserved it

I was doing the time

I must have done the crime

Not designed for love

Missing some crucial human quality

Everything confirmed it

Everyone I met confirmed it

Once in a while I heard footsteps

The jingle of keys

But they never stopped

At my door

And I stopped running to see

Became ok with it

I must be where I belonged

Stockholm Syndrome

Almost happy

Until the footsteps stopped

Outside my door

I didn't react at first

Must be hearing things

No visitors allowed, after all

'Til I looked up

There you were

Smiling through the bars

Key in your hand

No way, I'm dreaming

Rubbed my eyes

Looked again

And you were still there

Not wearing blue

But orange, like me

A jailbreak?

A partner in crime?

No way, I thought

But you unlocked the door

Held it open, beckoning

No way, I thought

An hallucination

So I stayed on my bunk

You called again

"C'mon man. Let's get out of here"

An abandoned pup, offered a milkbone

Longing, but not trusting

You coaxed me to the door

I smelled the grass

Saw the sunshine

Felt the warmth

Stepped out and embraced freedom

And you shoved me back inside and slammed the door

With a laugh

I cried, uncomprehending

Stood at the door for a month

With my hands thrust through the bars

Calling for you

Begging for you to come back

Hearing nothing but the echoes of my own screams

Until I gave up and went back to my bunk

Then I heard your footsteps again

It took me twice as long this time

To trust you enough

To run for the open door

And your smile

But eventually I went

The lure of redemption

Was too hard to resist

But you slammed the door again

And strolled off, whistling

I didn't call from the door

This time, but I still cried

It couldn't be intentional

A guard must have shown up

No one is that cruel, even in here

Benefit of the doubt

Not listening to your detractors

I was sure it wasn't your fault

Something else was stopping you

From freeing me

So I sat on my bunk and waited

'Til you came again

The last time you came I needed no coaxing

Maybe before, I waited too long

I went to you, still sure of your goodness

But you slammed the door closed again

That's when I realized

That I was never getting out

Even though you had the keys to all the cells

You could free us all, and yourself

But you chose to remain locked up

And would never let anyone else out

So I hung a towel over the window

And blocked my ears with toilet paper

And sat on my bunk