You ask me where I\'ve gone
Why I look just slightly wrong
And I think I’ll tell the truth
Only once, and only for you
The voices came and went
And they left me feeling spent
They whispered horrid rhymes
And committed violent crimes
They told me I would lose
That my skin deserved to bruise
They threatened me with pain
Until I hated my own name
And so, I shed
I shed my ugly skin
And I shed my painted smile
I shed my dreadful sins
I shed no tears, all the while
I shed my tainted flesh
And my tired useless muscles
I shed till only bones were left
And then I let them crumble
It was only then that the silence emerged
A sweet soundless space where not a voice was heard
Instead, there were eyes, alight with shock and horror
I was a sight to be feared, made up of nothing but disorder
In an instant, years made sense
The voices were but a pretense
A book of carefully crafted lies
Broadcast by an overactive mind
And so, I went straight to work
Gathering my pieces, searching for my worth
I made a pile of what was left
And pieced together all I could collect
I swear it was a brave attempt
But I came out looking a bit unkempt
And that is why you question me
And wonder what it is you see
And now you know the legendary story
I’m sorry to say, it doesn’t end in glory
But I’ll leave you with one final truth
The voices will come, they always do
And though it’s a process of torture and dread
Sometimes, all you can do is shed