Self-Portrait in Shades of Gray

Voices reflect, redirect, wax, wane
Fluid, here now there, nowhere
Amorphous mist weaving strands of time
Layers drawn together, apart
Weak echoes from distant horizons
Children’s glee, pain of the aged, traffic
And rain, falling down here, like you have
Learning to open eyes, to see, grow
Blinking, on/off, on/off, off you go, explore
Snapping uncertain images
A universe to click and catalog
You knew you once, he thinks, but tries not to
So blind, believing in this sun
So warm, like breath, thinking dark light
Was that really you, once
In your slow waves curling, breaking
Navigating an ethereal plane
Lost, awash in random imagination
Lord, king, master of the naïve
It’s all here, but it all moves
Still images cauterize memories
Yet they move and you move them
Feel the sword pierce, inhale the dragon’s breath
You knew, you, but not you, no
Not in her smile, no smile -- no smile
The one who brought you here
You sought this voice, sought your own
Be seen, not heard, find silence
Hide that tiny voice, dare not to sing, you
Put tiny fingers in this hand, stand back
Reflecting, redirecting, what is it now
The images become clear, then fade
Only joking, really, just a joke, please laugh
Give instead something to cry about
Come to her, go away now, just go, now
Don’t want to see you, not now, pestGo and build your loneliness, that room of yours
That mess, it’s really stupid, you are
Stupid, see, oh how very stupid
Now she laughs, that’s the right joke
See you, do you finally see you
Open your eyes, now, mirror’s here
Hurry, look, because she’s busy
Open them when she tells you
Open your eyes and see
And, yes, for her, he sees
He really sees himself, once
Reflects, redirects, clicks, blinks
Sees just what she wants, for her
He sees him, you, for her
And never blinks again