FACING THE DREAD OF A BUSY SILENCE Away from time Silenced by thought Consumed by energy Never wanted, never bought Torn into pieces Shattered by loss Enveloped by serenity No longer my own boss Given my own ear Faced with feelings once thought lost Made to delve in and share all No matter what the cost Opening up inside myself Isolated from a world not worth seeing Questioning the values I haven't worked hard enough to be saving Left . . . with my own being. Written in 2000. Poetry