my dreams were penetrated by pain
and my brain  
is fog again

the vastly built highs of self discovery
shattered against the cliffs
of my functionality

pushed and pulled by relentless waves
no desire for hands
that come to save me

we cling to each other in
tempest weather

no will to survive, but we'll do so

together.

he told me i was cool
and he liked my tattoos
and the the things that i do

she told me i was pretty
that there's nobody like me
jaw drawn with a pilot hi-tec-c


and i agree


but when i stare at the mirror
all these external attributes
and uncontrolled aesthetics
mean nothing to me

a façade of allure
when the reality is much more haunting
enough to deter
even my own heart

faced with a stream
of compliments on how i seem
"but do you LIKE me?"