What does it mean to have a self?
A question that haunts me,
gnaws at me,
fills my heart and consumes my soul as I stare into the sunrise that blinds me in the morning,
bathed in orangey pinks.
Everyone looks better in the golden light;
how and why and what does it mean?
I fall for the self,
again and again I do so,
but how do I know that it is true?
And what is it that makes a self?
Hobbies? Skills?
Traits, good or bad?
If I help someone, am I good?
If I hurt someone, am I bad?
Can I call myself a skater? Singer? Artist?
Cringe or kind?
Heart or mind?
I am cringe at heart, but I do see the heart;
I poke fun at my interests, but it’s proven true,
as I once more reassure that I see you,
fear and gentleness,
the joy of being seen overwhelms the mortifying ordeal of being known.
Warmth filling my room, illuminating all,
I’ll bask in the light and fear the fall,
stand in a tee shirt that declares my interests;
concert sets I won’t forget,
video games and the internet,
fragments of me I project outwards,
each a piece of my self;
I am made up of song lyrics and fictional characters
and personality pieces I stole from friends,
I pray you see the self I project through my haircut,
I put forth a persona that you in turn loved and nurtured,
and I STILL DO NOT KNOW IF I AM EVER BEING GENUINE.
For I do not make note of the sunsets for personal reasons, no,
and when I chuckle at the concept of microwaves it is not because of something I experienced.
I am made of others I’ve understood and absorbed
but I think I’m okay with that.