I Sail Alone Within My Skin

By John I. Blair

I sail alone within my skin.

No one’s in here with me
On my solitary trip
Through night and day.

I look through portholes of my eyes,
Listen from the hatches of my ears,
Reach to touch the shores
I share with others.

But I can’t come out, can’t
Exit this strange ship.

I try and may succeed
For intervals of time
Forgetting my predicament.

But as I walk, talk,
Stare, strain to hear,
The fact of isolation
Hits again.

We launch into the world alone
And stay alone
Despite our best intent.

The most we might achieve
And that with greatest pain
Is offer love to those in need
Whom we pass by.

©2017 John I. Blair, 11/22/2017