In My Head

There is a man 

Living in my head 

He says those things I cannot 

No, he says those things I will not 

He is there 

Never holding his peace 

In times of rage

In times of sadness 

In times of joy 

Even in times of love 

Whispering and shouting 

Simultaneously 

You won’t see him ever 

Even if you were to hear him 

You will only hear me 

He would use my voice 

He would twist the words 

Belonging to me 

His devil may care 

Laissez Faire attitude 

Chips falling where they may 

Manner of speaking 

Sans compassion or care 

It’s all there 

Living in my head 

Between this man 

Living inside my head 

And the rest of the world 

Is my compassion 

Between he and thee 

Is my heart of care 

I do not struggle to find the words 

I struggle to find the right words 

I try to make my words gentle 

Because without exception 

Words will circle around 

They will come back to you 

The sharp words 

Will slice your soul 

The hard-blunted words 

Will hammer your mind 

The pointed words 

Will pierce your heart 

The blazing words 

Will reduce you to ash 

Sometimes 

I nearly let him speak 

Just to be freed of this burden 

Of being the better man 

But only sometimes 

The truer me prevails  

The sharpness is blunted 

The fire is quelled 

The tentative peace holds 

 But never 

Never in my head

Never in my head 

© Ron Simpson Jr. 

June 14, 2025