The younger days were peaceful
It was the calm before the storm
They skipped through gardens as equals
With no rhyme nor reason to conform
Loved by those who were dearest and near
They were never birds confined by a cage of others’ opinions
And so, with plenty of chances to ere
They were truly ones amongst billions
The years passed by and the seasons changed
Soon the doorway to the real world was opened wide
The once so daring voice gradually scrutinized
A mask was slowly chiseled to match the tide
Now a thick icy wall divides the inner conscious
One part unapologetic among the familiar faces
Showing colors that are quirky and obnoxious
And another, carefully sculpted for the masses
The growing pains continue to harden the heart and soul
While pride is prioritized over sincerity
Stronger grows the need to show complete control
Lessening the innocent desire for solidarity
The wall of ice starts to crack under the external pressure
Until it slowly melts into a thin sheet of winter shimmer
The two selves no longer separated by a concrete measure
Distort their identity, causing the light to get dimmer
The reflections bounce off the murky inner waters
Even the near and dear are no longer privy to their true nature
The start and the end of their icy partition merges
Giving rise to someone who they can no longer savor
Losing oneself to have others like something so fabricated
Robs the world’s privilege of witnessing their grandeur
Their true nature replaced by a poor soul so isolated
And so, an alien within is created to persevere
Nimasha De Silva
