...john, existential angst, well described, henry david thoreau said, 'all men [read: all people, duh!] [a forward thinker at the turn of the century and all literary references were of the male gender, so we must forgive him, eh?] we lead live of quiet desperation.'...so true, and many of the ways of desperation's hold on us is that of being around people but not connected with them, i like the darkness metaphor, many times spoken by those depressed...a good description of the inner sanctum, if you will...to me not a sad pome[sic] but a good description of what the Zen buddahist call life here on earth--a suffering, a hell if you will, i love pomes that touch on the unspeakable...this is one.

Charlie's got it right this is a nice write. But freedom is in the mind and you can walk the streets with shackles but still not be free of yourself, your hangups, etc.