A to Z Poetry: Bell

Bell

He sat in silence, 

waiting for the bell.

A single ring, a tone. 

An alert to him know

if he could move or go.

Let him know he could

get on with his life.

All he had to do?

Pick up the phone and listen.

No words or questions,

grunts or groans.

Wait for a simple yes or no

which would change 

the rest of his life.

Little did he know, 

the line had been cut.

An experiment to see 

what he would do and be.

The one on the other side

didn't care one little bit.

A dangerous tease just because

he believed that 

which he didn't know.

He could have 

picked up the phone, or

walked out the door.

Yet he sat and waited. 

Useless, no initiative.

Let himself be held hostage

to those who didn't care.

The one walked away,

into the day, the week, the year,

without a thought, 

without looking back.

Nor did the one wonder 

how long he sat waiting

for the bell.