Jonathan was a lonely man, spent his growing years in a bar,
His father ran out early on, took the only car.

His mother had a sugar daddy, or two or maybe four,
Jon never wanted for material things, he stared down the hall, her bedroom door.

Leo was his older brother, went off at twenty, joined a platoon,
Never came back, missing in action, Jon eventually moved into his room.

A younger sister Rosie, she was the light in the dark of his life,
She married young and had a baby, perfect mother, happy wife.

As the years went by and school was done, Jonathan left to follow his dream,
Took a greyhound bus out of town, needing so much to change his scene.

The road took him to the city, drove a cab while he worked on his screenplay,
Could see his title on a Broadway marquis, maybe not today but someday.

Two years go by, driving in a trance until one day came the news,
Mother was sick with cancer, Jon heads home, couldn't refuse.

Rosie greets him at the door, hangs onto him for dear life,
A mother of three little girls, perfect mother, unhappy wife.

He stands there in the hallway, stares at that old familiar door,
Once the sounds of laughter and moans, now silent, he walks, creaks the floor.

His sweet sister goes after him, he runs down the stairs and out of the house,
Never talked about what happened up there, buried mother in her favorite blouse.

Jonathan goes back to the city, no Broadway, no family, no wife,
Nine years until he sees Rosie again, there in a casket, took her own life.

Her husband takes Rosie's girls away, Jon never will see them again,
Alone in the world, he drives for his life, eventually puts down his pen.

Jonathan was a lonely man, spent his golden years in a bar,
Son of a mother who did her best, sold his only car.

Bright lights on a Broadway marquis, title reads "The Life of a Man Alone",
A screenplay found under the seat of a cab, first name Jonathan, last unknown.