you say you were conceived

me too

you say you were born

me too

out of your mother’s womb

virgin and true

unblemished by mankind’s atrocities

me too

you say you were raised

trained

and grew up

me too

you say you discovered

me too

you say you learned

me too

you say you found love

untamed, unleashed

heart to heart, eye to eye

spell binding

till the end of time

me too

so similar are we

that you don’t notice the real me

the me underneath the shadow

the me that rests with one hand

on his crotch

and the other

on a noose

the me that takes the brunt

of his failures

with the palm of an iron hand

a grimace

the me that bleeds from both mouth

and soul

silence is a solace

but he breaks it like bones

breathless beauty is the mirage

that is me