something blooms
inside of me

slowly
petal by petal

inside the cage
I built around me

soft against
cold metal

so open
and vulnerable

so gentle
that I tremble

more tender
than the spring

more powerful
than words
or symbols

who am I?
I am a person
who am I?
I am alive

who am I?
an animal
afraid
with questions in my eyes

who am I
without the answers?
who am I
without my fear?

who am I
to ask these questions?
who am I
if no one hears?

who am I?
it all depends
how much of me
it's safe to show

who am I
when we're together?
who am I
when I'm alone?

who am I
to even think
to even dream
that I could know?

am I
the dream or the dreamer?

who am I?

who wants to know?

there is danger all around
but we have not been destroyed

bound to this
most perfect stone

we look down
into the void

we know there must be
something more than
what we see

what are we?

an anomaly
a rounding error

we look up

in awe
and terror

sometimes I'm still afraid
of being seen
I'd rather be unknown
anonymous
and on my own
and on and on
and all alone

I try
to say I'm not afraid
why lie?
there's no one else
I try
to do things by myself
sometimes I'm still afraid to ask for help

sometimes I play the victim
even when that's only half the truth
sometimes I am the monster
when I cry
sometimes I am the wolf

sometimes I am the dragon
I am strong
I scare my fears away
sometimes I am so brave
only sometimes

sometimes I'm still afraid

there are things I cannot grasp
long though I reach out my hand
stare at the strange shape of darkness
watch until I understand

no boundary
outside the mind

I am the void
there is no
"I"

no horizon
undefined
there is no line

I am the sky

the fear of the unknown
is visceral and real for me

unending
cold and empty

I want to understand