Ben Barton - SILENT ELEVATOR

Silent Elevator

Quiet approach
Neon ring;
pressed once
We step in

The gasp of breath
The doors slide shut
and I see ourselves
just where we're put

Silence arising
Inside, I’m crying
aiding, abetting
But never forgetting
the screaming
the clawing
that happened this morning

Later, you’ll drift to your cushioned sleep
dreaming the dreams of secrets you keep

From me – and you think I don’t know!
But I do
though I can’t explain how.

Excerpts of this poem were used in NO ONE READS POETRY