Within these walls, the echoes linger,
A silent whisper of dreams deferred,
Shadows dance on the edges of my thoughts,
Captive in a realm where freedom’s unheard.

Chains unseen but felt so keen,
Each breath a testament to the fight,
The heart beats slow in a cage of glass,
Yearning for the dawn, the break of night.

Eyes that search the sky for a sign,
A crack in the firmament, a ray of hope,
But the stars remain distant, aloof,
The soul grapples, learning to cope.

In this place where time stands still,
The spirit dreams of open lands,
Yet here, in the silence, strength is found,
A resolve to break these binding bands.