Forgetting Yourself

by Elena Laskowski

Sometimes I remember that I am a person in a body who exists.

I’m surprised at the skin I’m in,

Like I’ve forgotten what I look like -

That I’m a brain and something of a soul in a vessel of flesh and blood,

And I’m supposed to do something with myself.

Things get confused when I’m wrapped in my brain,

When I look in the mirror and remember my mind has a face.

Have you ever seen yourself before?

The pictures don’t match, and the words are wrong.

There are so many parts of a whole.

You were supposed to know all this already, but you forgot

Or maybe that’s just not you anymore,

The way you changed your answers to get-to-know-you questions

And when they asked you what you wanted to be

When You Grow Up.

Now we’re all grown up and supposed to do something about it

Do you know who you are? Don’t think about it too hard.

I’m still confused by the what -

A heart or gut or suit of flesh that doesn’t change

Not the way a mind does.

The pieces of a person don’t have to align;

Now why would you remain unchanged

When nothing else stays the same?

There’s so much time to see who you are

If you forget yourself, restart.