Who Am I

Who am I
But a walking corps
An echo of the some-day-dead

Who am I
But a decaying vessel
A transport for the voice in my head

What am I
But the puss of this planet
An infection on a cosmic scale

What am I
But a future work of fiction
A line or two in someone else's tell

Who am I
But a castle in the sand
Washed away by the sea

Who am I
But a past rendition
Of what I may one day be

What am I
But a chance encounter
Turned in time to flesh

What am I
But a squirming insect
Caught in the mesh

Who am I
But a memorable regret
A past you'll one day carry

Who am I
But an almost future
The one you once thought to marry

What am I
But a stain on the sheet
A melody in your head

What am I
But the eyes that saw you
The ears that heard every word you said