one

ALONE

Alone is a moonless world

or a despondent man on a ledge who could not cope with despairor a man in a movie house with his arm around no one.

It is the sum total

of the crowds you have seen, the parties you enyoued, the New Years you celebrated, and the lovely love affairs that turned out to be unlovely and shattered your heart like nothing else ever did, and left you that way for a very long while. Alone is a terrible time and a terrible place.

It is an unkind bellow

among a thousand "hurrahs,"

or a disenchanted creature

gazing with little anxiety

upon tomorrow,

because his mind is busy

reviving all his

yesterdays.

Alone is the result of

happy yesterdays

that have vanished forever.

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