I escape to my bedroom.
The only thing that is truly mine.
Orange, cold, quiet, dark.
I go and relax.
Alone.
I listen to what I want.
I can sleep if that’s my will.
I do what I please.
But outside of my space,
Above the basement
There’s children playing and screaming,
College students studying and munching.
TV blaring.
Popcorn popping.
Pop. Pop. Pop.
The rest of the world is open.
Women shopping, men working, babies born, people dying,
Shooting, stealing, lying,
Did I mention people dying?
Marriages failing. Divorces happening.
There are fights arising, people lying, did I mention dying?
Children screaming, barely breathing.
Punished for grades is not all, punishment for showing who you are.
A disappointment.
There are people crying, and others lying, did I mention dying?
It’s a cold world out there.
But I remain safely in my bedroom.
Orange, cold, quiet, dark.