The Door

Silently I stare out at the street

It’s full of people all staring at me

Judging me, sizing me up.

I look for ways to escape their stares

To break free of this torturous cage

Trapped inside this glass box that has become my mind

The pain of the looks I receive

Way heavy on my heart

In a moment of weakness I give up

I sit, hang my head and start to let the tears fall

Until I see it

It is a slender piece of plastic

Inviting me to pick it up

Taking it in my hand carefully I feel a click

I slowly pick myself back up

Staring back out at the people

No longer feeling the heat of their gazes

I begin to write on the walls of my glass cage

Leaving not even an inch of blank space

I write until there is no more room for even a comma

Suddenly as I step back from the wall of my cage

A door begins to appear in place of the wall

Hesitant I grab the handle and slowly open the door

I am no longer trapped inside my cage

No longer burdened by the looks of the people on the street

I am myself

and now always with my pen