Wearing My Coat

It's like wearing a heavy coat on a crowded train
A thick layer of fabric separates you from others
And as much as you'd like to take it off
Your arms are pinned by your side
So that you can't reach the zipper.

You feel them press against you
But you are still protected and alone
The jacket is your barrier from the outside
It protects you from the elements
While also numbing you to the world.

And you can feel yourself overheat
You know you can only take it so long
You want to take the coat off
You begin to panic in claustrophobia
Not from the people but the coat.

But it seems glued to your very body
You couldn't take it off if you tried
The coat is stuck to your skin
It has become a part of your being
As has the cushion from the world.

Maybe someday someone will unzip it
Maybe someone can do it but it makes you wonder
Why anyone would want to remove it
What would make you worth the effort
When others wear their short sleeve t-shirts.

I will go around undoing zippers when asked
I will be the one to put in the effort
I want to help those who seek it
Even if my only reason for doing so
Is in the hopes someone will unzip my own coat.