Alone in the Crowd

Alone In The Crowd

By Clare Winkler

 

Have you ever been alone in a crowd

Surrounded by those you love

But feeling nothing in return

 

watching them laugh

 watching them talk

 wanting to join

But,

you just can't

 

The words are stuck in the back of your throat

trying to come out

but not making a note   

 

They call me strange

Accept it as a quirk

Say that I’m soft spoken

Let it go as it is

Never suspecting

my fear 

 

Retreat inside

And close my shell

Put on a mask

No one can tell  

 

All around life goes on

But mine is stuck in a familiar pause

Where nothing comes and nothing goes

Just watching

 as everyone else moves on

 

I watch them live

I watch them grow

I see it all

But no one sees

as I Silently fall

Into myself 

 

Over thinking every move

Eyes turned down I

Turn to my own world

by opening a book 

 

Turn the worn pages

And absorb the story

The crowd fades

And turns into a new world

Time travel, Adventure, Magic, and Romance

All are possible here 

Clare....

 Clare.......

 Claaare!

Torn from my haven

And thrown back to reality

By some selfish spectator

I sit alone in the crowd

Once more

 

Some so desperate to include

They don’t seem to care

Whether or not

I want to be there

 

Though I know they care

I still feel alone

With a lousy excuse 

I head back home

A quick retreat

Back to my books

 

no one steps up 

or notices my leave 

they continue on with their endless chatter

what does it matter to me 

 

easily distracted by the crowd

I leave them there 

and walk home alone

wishing the whole way

 that I could be

 part of The Crowd.