solitude

with solitude arrives complexity a jagged, intricate feeling the intersecting layers stacked atop one another jamming each piece into its place while sitting alone at tables meant for four filling your stomach filling your mind with thoughts each bite, a fleeting memory a spiraling reflection no matter what noise you place in the background the whir of a fan the bustle of conversation amongst peers the isolation reemerges it cuts through each chord each strum, each beat forcing the silence to be louder, brighter, stronger than any orchestrated distraction the perception of self is shoved into the limelight until the action of singing aloud is stripped from your possession you must only whisper you must only mouth the words repeat them in your head, draw them in your mind the silence can only be lifted when the isolation ruptures when your friends fill your cars driving down backroads the music so loud your mouth can finally open you all scream each lyric each vow, each sentiment but your voices are so strained no one could hear you anyway