The Man Before You

The Man Before You

Speaker
Claims he is a man yet acts a boy
Flaunting a mask of many layers
Gold heart beneath a silver tongue
Honest intentions made idle, lies flung
Pretending, appeasing surveyors
Claims made bold, unconvincingly coy

Drinker
Tipsy frequently, by choice
No problems solely fun
Drinking merely to enhance
Blaming his empty bottle, a bad romance
Problems more & more, his liver outdone
The demons decide, he has no voice

Lover
His tragedy an issue connecting
Lovers name him the robot
Running on power, no cord
Deep down emotions buried, stored
Reset to default when pain brought
His heart open behind a door, deflecting

Friend
Those held close always first
Doubtless sacrifice
There as a shoulder, hugger, advisor
Consoling their pain, a tranquillizer
Never thinking twice
Their pain always greater, he is cursed

Grandma Joan
Hurting to hold her once more in vain
The religion she loved a last resort
That joyous soul undying
I’ll never see you again, a bitter sighing
Stopping to pray, Grandma’s report
Tears falling, a dry summer’s rain

Joker
His truest quality, a preferred dialogue
Exchanging laughter brightening the day
Shrugging off the serious
His original thoughts left mysterious
Their jokes aren’t funny yet he laughs anyway
Responds with a pun from his catalogue