Behind the Glass

Ancient but watching

Always carrying a red lipped smile

She echoes the times of hardship

She is stiff and can be molded

You can see my stitches and the cloth is dirty

It’s morning and the newspaper can be heard hitting the pavement

Summer’s here and a calmness surrounds the air

An elderly woman sits in a rocking chair

No one is coming

No one has come in a long time

The air holds a gentle hum 

The woman gazes out the window

The dust has gathered

It's the smell of being forgotten

The room itself is rather barren and sad

Except for a glass cabinet full of knick knacks 

Warmth floats around us

The woman gets cold easily

All around me is glass

I am locked away

I have not been lost alone

There are others

Some are beaten and battered

While others just age with dust

The elephant next to me’s ears droop

Stuffing is emerging from them

The toy soldier peers and watches me

Smiling and laughing a clown judges me

Everyone's attention is on me

Forever looking trapped in glass

These are not my friends

The one I long for is gazing out the window.

Sam Cox (she/her) is a senior theater major and creative writing/ graphic design minor who loves to write, act, draw, and sing.