I walk down a bleached tile hallway
In the cold, sterile world for the elderly and mentally disengaged
There is nothing but the flickering synthetic lighting,
Synchronous beeps, and the occasional moan
The smell of staleness is in the air
I come to a room
Where an old lady
Mutters and mumbles
In a dazed, secluded state while her arm
Makes a brief, weak attempt at reaching beyond
And she says that she cannot see out of her
Beloved cabin window anymore

Long seconds pass in a timeless zone
While her arm drops and she becomes silent
The nurse forces a smile and gives a
Pitiful attempt at sympathy for the family members as she walks away

The group gathers around her
Weeping for the death that will soon occur
But no one cares about the true matter at stake

When I look at her, I see a blushing, young lady
Pounding, screaming, clawing desperately
To escape from her bodily prison
Made from layers and layers of different skins
Like a chameleon worn with hardship, pain, and grief
For no one can see what she plainly states
In an insightful, poetic sense
Except for me
She is trapped

My breath catches in my chest as I delve into the vastness of her soul
I am in an enclosed room made entirely of windows
Watching my life travel past me in a high-speed train
I yell in horror, ripping and tearing
But no one hears

The lady suddenly turns her head
And her watery eyes meet with mine before another beep occurs
And I see the light
Do not stray from your life
And watch as it passes you in time’s elusive carriage
Speak! Speak I say!
Hold tightly to your dreams and what is dear
Or they will disappear into the grave where all dead dreams go
As you feel the unrelenting fires of remorse