you tell yourself
“it’s the sacrifice”
the light at the end of the tunnel
the reason you keep within
the reason you shut people out
“it will all make sense one day”
the mantra of one single life
the mantra of your single life
your words to live by till you die—
…and when that day finally comes?
“will it be worth it?”
the mirror asks
the money that you never made
the life you dreamed and never lived
the path you chose that led to—
the pacing in the room that seems to last for years
is it a jail cell?
does the sun shine in?
a once benign tumor could be a sarcoma
will it ever have the chance to retire?
even your hopes and the fire within
a glimmering wick
like patience ran thin
a campfire in the heat of the night
with only a few more stories to tell
you can see your hand dial the numbers
almost hear the tones as you make the call
the creators of your universe
“the time has come” you say to them
a sigh of relief—whatever it is