Once a solitary Sanctuary 

My own space

Place

And escape from

The world,

Became what I dreaded

Most. 

Alone alone alone 

In my own splendor 

A haven of laughter and friends 

Free

To do what I pleased

No one needing from me. 

Independent to a fault. 

But hearts get lonely 

And search. 

Warming up

At the glimpse

Of a new face

Opening the door 

To a new version 

Of home. 

Welcoming kisses

In bed warm

With the one 

You adore. 

Playing house 

And the idea of

What it’s like to be 

A spouse. 

Making dinner

And baked goods

The secret ingredient 

Was always 

love.

Dreaming 

Creating fantasies 

Of what we hoped

Would one day become reality.

But we were 

Struggles and hard times

Casualties 

Using every

Quarter 

Nickel

Penny

Dime

Thinking of get rich 

Quick schemes. 

Thinking creative 

To survive a

Scarcity 

Of money.

a prison made

Of insecurities 

And hauntings

Of romances past

Yells Reverberating 

Off the walls. 

Saturated with screams

Succumbing To

the worst version 

Of selves,

Picture perfect 

Is never what it seems.

Wanting to runaway 

Fearing 

Foreseeing 

The fork in the road way

Divided 

Left like

The summer wind. 

The phantom of memory 

Now a permanent resident.

Purging 

Us 

From our 

Humble abode. 

Only choice 

To leave

And close 

The door

With no return.