Pencil me in abstracts of hazel
green, gray, or blue
on canvas weaved by colored winds
from directions
far from true.

Place my emotions on the ever-rolling and sometimes
violent seas —
a closer look reveals that only the ocean exists
with no glimpse of the
many me’s.

Tie my beliefs and priorities
to the hands of
an ever-ticking clock;
time dilutes and frees choices of yesterday
as a key resurrects and frees
a many-sided lock.

Be not then surprised
if when next we meet
you feel that I am not the same,
for like nature, I have changed —
hopefully in fuller growth
prepared to play life’s game.