The sun was shimmering
It burned with elemental fury
In the middle of a desert
The prisoner had fallen
He had lived his fate
But could not believe it
Did the universe have malice?
For such cruelty to him befallen
He had crawled towards freedom
After seven years being chained
He had run to the desert
To ensure he would not be chased
The escape had a divine sweet flavour
But now turned to a bitter aftertaste
He found himself lost and alone
At least the prison wasn't a death sentence
He realized that he had not much time
Heat, hunger and exhaustion would be his end
He started to recall his life
It was too late to make amends
A swindler had trapped him
Promising riches and fame
That he could grant his wishes
And dreams he had always dreamt
The swindler did the swindling
The prey was none the wiser
When the wisdom of questioning came
He had already walked into a cage
Who would he remember in his final moments
A love that never was
His heart was bound to her
And she would never even know
She was another man’s wife
In his fantasies she was his queen
He built a world around her
The lie would never be true
But the truth he could never accept
He made his attempts hoping she would recognize
His love he felt compelled to act on
Every time it was clear that it would never happen
He was some guy whom she never even spared a thought
After he was dead would she cry for him?
Would his parents mourn him?
Who would weep hearing the news?
Or would they be rid of a burden
Or worse, was he already forgotten
This life he had lived
Was ordinary and insignificant
The pain he had underwent
Life would not compensate
Now at death’s door
Recounting his story
What was the moral?
What was the purpose?
He would never understand
The prison was an illusion
He was born a prisoner