i lip-read and hear their voices in my head
i stare at people and read
"how are you?"
"how do you do?"
"how's life?"
on their faces
behind this pane of glass
i keep between me and the press
of people out there.

i'm scared of my skin grazing theirs
of hot breath and sweat behind my ears
so i smile in my cool artificial air
nod and brush my hair
and wonder what it's like to be
with people out there.

i push them but hold on to their wrists
thinking my decisions are way better than this,
this choice to be apart, by myself
and yet still be out of my cell
and know myself as i know them well,
the people out there.