A Version of Me

I am who I want you to see,

A persona, a version of me,

Painted in vibrant hues for your eyes,

Pain and trauma hiding in disguise.

*

On the outside, I look stable,

Like a perfectly set table,

A carefully built construction,

That falters under deduction.

*

Inside, it’s all a mess,

Eroded by pain and stress,

Crashing waves pull me down,

And in those depths, I drown.

*

We all wear masks each day,

It’s how we survive the fray,

But mine is full of cracks,

Where life has left painful tracks.

*

I need to face the music now,

This poem is my solemn vow,

I use this power on you,

But for us, I must be true.

*

No more hiding in shadows,

I’m turning away from the gallows,

This is me, face bathed in light,

Begging you to hear my plight.

*

You taught me to slay my demons,

At my side through winter seasons,

You walked beside me on broken glass,

Promising me that this too shall pass.

*

My love, I’m ready to show

A side of me I barely know,

No more false versions of me,

Arms wide, soul finally free.

*

I needed you to realize this,

My soul was saved by your kiss,

I know now that the die has not been cast,

That version of me has long since passed.