Loneliness

We can walk through a city,
Threading our way
Past hordes of strangers
While searching for someone
We can call a friend,
And not meet a soul.
We can attempt
Intelligent conversation
Only to find people who speak
Words without meaning.
We can gaze into their eyes
Only to observe
An emptiness deep inside.
We can shout our truth,
But no one listens
Or hears our cry.
We can be with them,
Touch them,
Sleep with them,
Yet feel very much alone.
The world can appear cold,
Devoid of human contact.
We are sometimes plagued
By overwhelming loneliness,
A sense of being lost.
We struggle against the tide
In the sea of our despair
Praying for someone with whom
We can share our life.
Even when a person is encountered,
Fear often gets in the way
Of us creating
The intimacy we seek.
We are adrift
Within the cauldron of humanity
Not recognizing ourselves
In any of the people we meet,
Wondering why we are so alone.