I remember when masks felt like shackles, distance like prison. No one could tell me who to see.

Now alone, I stare at clouds outside my hospital window and dream of driving, walking, speaking. Tubes and machines keep my heart beating. The act of breathing never before seemed so free.

Josef Lemoine is a Filipino-American writer living in Southern California with his wife, son, and daughter. In a past life, his work could be found in Word Riot, RipRap, The Legendary, and Boston Literary Magazine. For the time being at least, his writing can still be found in Dogzplot, Bending Genres, and Medium. A poem of his will soon be published in **** Men Say to Me: A Poetry Anthology in Response to Toxic Masculinity from Moon Tide Press. Follow him at instagram.com/joseflemoine