Eric Cockrell - The Prison Door (Clangs Open)

the prison door clangs open,
the man in me set free.
with nothing left
but the clothes on my back,
and feet that know
the way home...

rain begins to fall
with the coming of night.
i seek shelter beneath a bridge.
staring into the blackness
i see, i think i see...
one solitary star.

a star that tastes like bread,
and meat scorched by the flame.
that feels like warm blankets,
clean sheets, the bare skin of a woman.
a light that pours, invades a room,
and fills the room with living.

water drips down my face,
mixes with tears...
my fists open and close,
my mind the same.
and all the sounds of the night
become the sounds of breathing.

the prison door clangs open,
the body carried on a stretcher.
the lights flashing turn off,
no more need to hurry.
the driver stares blankly,
tires whisper prayers on wet roads!

Eric Cockrell

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-prison-door-clangs-open/