by Fatima Coovadia
When I am near you in your pure state of mind
The words that pass through your lips are sometimes so unkind
They pierce and cut through me like a knife
In that instant you remove all meaning from my life
There is no empathy or capacity to understand different lives
The only concern is for yourself and how you can thrive
The words that flow from your mouth are devoid of any human element
Is this your truth and can you be so adamant?
In this sober state of mind you are trapped, you are in your own prison
There is no escape from yourself and from who you are as a person
The irritations are noticeable until finally you succumb
Sacrificing your sanity till you do not need to feel, till you are numb
When I am near you and you are intoxicated
Your sense of kindness is over-exaggerated
Your willingness to please all those around is only a disguise
That stems from your need to satisfy yourself and cover up all the lies
You become what you are not, you lose yourself completely
Torn between the two worlds, a choice you can make freely
A moment of self-discovery results in the loss of your identity
Your body becomes saturated by a whole new personality
I see two faces neither of which I recognize
I hear different sounds when you start to apologise
Somewhere between these two worlds lies a decent human being
Who is asking to be set free, to be enlightened and to be seen
As the days pass by and no changes are evident
I wonder which face will finally win out in the end
The total destruction of the one will lead to the extinction of the other
The dawning of a new day brings with it the hope that the real you will finally enter