STORYMIRROR

Leslie Bush

Drama

4  

Leslie Bush

Drama

THAT’S NOT ME

THAT’S NOT ME

2 mins
336


“That’s not me”, I hear you exclaim

Who is it, I enquire; looks suspiciously similar

You stammer, fumble, paise am moment,

And say, “It is my evil twin brother”


Twin brother, I repeat, consults the file

Strange, there’s no mention here

Of a brother, ‘tis true, a sister you have

You aren’t getting confused, are you?


No, sir, confused I am not; tell me, 

what have you got? The details of my life?

Pictures and interviews with people

I barely knew, and most probably have forgotten


Pictures of when I was young, ask “is that you?”

And expect a reply. Well, damn you, sir, my reply

Is yes and no! It shows the actuality and potential

Of my trying to be” me. A constant of being and not being.


Yes, I did like loud music in my youth and early adulthood

Playing Led Zeppelin 3 full blast on a battery-powered reco

rd player

(There were such things). What is this examination to prove?

As the years went by, I changed. I prefer the verb, “evolved”


I Learned to cope with increasingly complex equations and situations

I’m still learning, in my elder years; I shall continue to continue to learn

All those persons that I was, still remain. My attempt at maintaining a balance

And peace among them still requires my constant awareness


“That’s not me”, I hear you exclaim. Who is it, I enquire?

“Someone, I once knew well; we are long parted”

Separated by broken dreams and disappointment

Held together by a determined will to continue


I feel like Schrodinger’s cat: I’m there, but I’m not

So, take your damned photos and your poxy folder

And shove it in a hole. Some, I am told, have paper shredders

Let me be, or not, what I want. I promise to behave



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