Poem: Imprisoned Fortitude

I live in this room
     no doors
     no windows

[so I can sit in the dark]

just six dank stone walls
     built
     by my own instinctual fears
     strengthened
     by each love lost

[so I can be stronger]

to keep me confined
     from love
     from loving
to keep the memories
     from entering
     from escaping
to keep
the pain

I should have said good-bye
when I had the chance

I should have at least cried
when they turned and left

I should have loved them less

I should have

I should have brought
a hammer and chisel in here
to keep me company