My 'rents are at work
and my sister's not around,
I turn up the music in my room full blast
and go to my bed to lie down.

I sing the words out loud,
I know every one by heart.
And as I sing the lyrics at the top of my voice,
The meanings of each word pierces my soul like a dart.

I feel so alone,
sitting in my room with a song.
I wish I had a friend to share thoughts with,
someone who wouldn't think I'm crazy or wrong.

My hand floats along the spines
and picks out a paper-back by Piers Anthony,
As my eyes scan the other row,
the ones by Anne McCaffrey.

The titles, it seems like I've known them forever
and the characters I know so well,
I'm about to open the cover and read
but the clock downstairs chimes like a bell.

I sadly put the book back
"If only they were real," I wistfully say.
I sit and wonder what meeting them would be like,
and save the reading for another day.