The Genie's Price

From every person I meet, know of and speak to.
My mind maintains an intricate filing system I can peek through.
Dewey decimel-esque - recalling on minute details.
Full of life stories and picture mails.
It's almost like unwinding someone's entrails.

Fast forward or rewind - plays out inside my mind.
I can see a life in colour and times when they went dark.
In their final day - or where they got their start.
Don't know if this is what I would call smart
When most of what I see tends to hurt my heart.

So many Souls that have regrets.
And they don't even seem to know it yet.
"Yea, whatever you say", "I'll live my life my way!"
But it's in my mind always on replay.
And continues to haunt me every single day.

I never asked to see anyone's life or maybe I did.
Most times what I see isn't nice, I was just a kid.
Genie granting wishes thrice - just rub the lid.
This is the price - that I was bid.

~Ruby L.S.~

©️2023I.S.