the cement slabs surround me in rows lining the world as far as i can see

lying in a pile of leaves and insects, realizing what has been missing from my life

on my back, the sky looks a million miles high
and every wispy cloud in sight
is trying to get away from my eyes
just in time

black birds laugh at each other along the fence
as they pull pranks
and crack jokes
about passersby
and homely folks

no one sees me
here, i'm a ghost

but the tree house i built
reaches the skyline
and allows my eyes to stretch
beyond the confines
of my soiled mind
and i realize that i'm not alone
but simply a prisoner
behind bars i built
around myself