Outside you see this old man’s face and body

The lined face and beard

The head shaved to hide the hair loss

The body often slightly bent 

Cringing from the wear tear and pain of my life.

Inside, 

In a closet deep down

Hidden away

Is the shimmering ever youth changing face

Of a young man

Sometimes controlling the old man’s face

Body 

And thoughts 

With confused youth

Forgetting that old man’s face body and life

Under lapping youth under the skin of that old man

So close to the surface

So close to thought

To emotion

So close

So painful

The old man’s face smiles sadly

Looking a few doors down inside

To that closet,

Holding the face

The shadow body

The heart and soul

Of the youth he once was

And still at times

Is

But only inside

And sometimes outside 

Shallow beneath 

And inside

An old man’s smile.