A man is alone when he's totally without another

To talk to ... to be with ... above, or under covers

A state I've been in, essentially, for a dozen years

When a lady walked away, bringing many tears ...



And although there have been some periods since

When it looked as though a princess found her prince

Her coach invariably transformed back into a pumpkin

As her prince's found slipper turned out to be too thin



And the glass shattered once more, as the heel broke

And, once again ... the prince was alone - just a spoke

In the wheel of life ... going gently around and around

Feeling the bumps underneath ... and just a few sounds



As, occasionally ... the phone rings, and a few words ...

Are spoken into the ear of a man who's just never heard

Whose only means to connect with the rest of the world ...

Is to write simple poetry ... and in this way, loneliness unfurls



- Tristram



(c) Christopher W. Thomas

9pm Wed. December 9th, 1998