ELUSIVE DREAMS

Beneath the surface I am confined 
Away from creations beauty
The sun with all of its autonomy
And ability to cause the night to surrender 
Cannot pierce the walls of my confinement 

I am enclosed with my thoughts 
And the sound of silence 
Trapped in a world of delusion 
Mentally walking the paths of fear
Where only the images of the mind prevails
Clinging to yesterday's smiling faces 

I reside in the chambers of death 
Life has never experienced such depth 
Endlessly I wonder in darkness felt
Each step entwined with faith and fear
Useless are my eyes 
For they will never see a blade of grass 
Or a leaf disturbed by the wind

Bring me the forest expose me to its dangers 
Let me feel the sting of a bee
Or the bite of an ant unexpectedly 
Roar in my ear thou ferocious beast
How I longed to mingle with life
But have been abandoned by life itself.

Wilford Barker