I have lived my life
surrounded by concrete,
bright lights,
speeding cars,
next door neighbors.

My own brand
of peace,
of solitude,
of quiet.

It was all an illusion,
for time has been filled
with constant
busyness.

Now, as I get older
I long for something
different.

I crave nature's wild sounds,
I desire impenetrable darkness
that holds my deepest secrets.

I fear that my thoughts are exposed,
what with all these streetlights
shining like dented halos
around my very existence.

Alas, it is not meant to be.
For as I draw near
to the end,
I suppose it is too late
to move towards
a different life.