Alone Poem by Shirani Rajapakse

The noise engulfs me. Yet I’m
alone. The birds sing outside.

Yet I’m alone.
The TV, radio and all that modernity

can offer hums around me. From
the apartment above, below and across

the street in front of me.
Yet, I’m still all alone. In the mall

the people walk past. Serious faces,
strangers faces. They look

and see but don’t quite see me pass
them by. The

restaurant has no space
left, it is full and we sit in a group and talk

and joke yet I’m alone. I’m part of it,
yet I’m still not. I sit with the crowd, I connect

with their thoughts. Yet I’m still alone,
not a part of that completely. Why?