The jailer, he's invisible
yet we're reminded, daily
he still stalks these corridors
a violent crown upon his brow
turning folk to dust
My marker-pen tally on the wall
begins to eats itself
time moves differently here
it's a snake, a valley
a constellation
in this most-comfortable prison...

The weather has a mainline to my mood
there's a shadow in my mind
it blooms or it recedes
with the strength of the sun
The days fluctuate
resizing, bipolar
claustrophobic
or giftedly free 
to walk newly discovered lanes
in this most-comfortable prison...

The smiling faces of old friends
glimpsed, as if backwards
through a telescope
so far removed
and blurred around the edges
Our conversations stilted
on satellite delay
How I long to crack
my usual sarcastic comments
and not be inter-
(timing is everything)
-rupted
in this most-comfortable prison...

From my favourite armchair
I've been glued to screens
feeling like a dog
killing time until my next walk
wondering of the world beyond these walls
it all seems so dangerous
but such a beautiful memory
in this most-comfortable prison...

There are no other voices here
yours and mine alone
it goes to show how well we fit together
I feel we're closer now than ever
Looking in the mirror this morning
you remind me of that mantra
we’re both repeating daily
'you're one of the lucky ones
you're one of the lucky ones
in this most-comfortable prison...'

[2020]