The Other I

Image Courtesy : http://www.ego-alterego.com  Paintings by Luis Duro

Personalities collide, hidden for far too long
Dark and Light have merged where neither belongs
Dull shades of grey are cast on the exterior
Hollows of the past protected by a barrier

Shield made of hopes and dreams long forgotten
Fortified by my ego and need for seclusion
A powerful force sufficient to push away
The souls most cherished are kept at bay

Loneliness marks the need for an alter ego
As hard as I try this entity I shall not forego
Wrapped its arms around my very core
Teeth clenched, trying to roar

Heart longs for a joyful age long past
Its colors untainted by this grim contrast
Wisdom and principle once a part of my life
Both overruled by society’s blunt knife

Despair masked by falsified happiness
A once gentle soul now turned ravenous
To quell this dual personality I will find a cure
But until then I must simply endure