Me Vis-a-vis Me

 

Today I was six people.

All relative to different times

And different faces, and though

The places may have changed the

Smells all stayed the same.

 

The ineradicable scent of burnt

Marijuana and manufactured

Tobacco resting deep within my

Clothes and nestled in your hair;

Overpowering the fragrant aroma

Your conditioner leaves behind.

 

Sitting in each darkened room I

Felt the smoke engulf me, and

Imagined that fog could by

Act of providence baptize me.

Making me one with the other

Five Andrews.

 

Yet, each time my gracious hosts

Would open a window, and the

Mist would quickly rush out, leaving

Me a person divided.

 

It went that way all day, as it does

Every other day, until I fear I’m

Nothing more than a vessel for

Obscure thoughts.

 

So, I decide I must rid myself of

These other mes, and I engage

Them in battle for ultimate supremacy.

War is hell, but eventually I’ll vanquish

All my enemies.

 

Now with nightfall coming

You’ll walk; I’ll crawl back

To my home and try to settle

In my bed. Only to find it

Occupied by ten other mes

And five other yous.

 

All of them wielding greed,

Pretension, corruption, over

Indulgence, and apathy to

Everything but their own lust/pride

All qualities I detest.

 

 

Reviews

[Constance]

Wow. This is a different piece. I love it when I come across something this unusual and profound. You brought all the memories of the marijuana haze I lived in for some time as a teenager right back into the moment for me. The shift in tense of verbs in the middle through me off a moment, but I still like this just as it is. The message is powerful, and the wording is good. Bravo, Mr. AndrewTortora. This is good stuff. :)