prisons

We are born into one prison
each sentenced to death
the only question for the jury
is the method of execution
while we await
the executioner to carry out the sentence
we build a second prison
one act at a time

With our actions
and even our thoughts
we add people to our prison
some we lock out
some we lock in
we insist on sharing our cells
and sometimes the bars
seem to disappear in the sharing
but they remain
and turn into cold walls
when we are deprived
of the ones we want most

like all prisons
some choices are not ours
and there is still pain
but not so bad
as when our own choices
make us alone

why can't we go back
and tear down the walls
and rebuild them right
make our prisons a little more comfortable
make them bearable
by making them happy

tell me what i have to do
so that my prison
can be one we share