Red Hat Poem by Hawkins Rodgers

Was it naive to believe that I could be judged by what I do instead of what I've done?
Is there such thing as forgiveness or was I doomed before I'd even begun?

There was a time where I was innocent enough to not even realize I had sinned
Although, I guess that hardly matters if find myself falling into hell in the end

For a time I had little idea of the plague assigned to me
Now I've been staring at my reflection for some time and I can finally see

It's about time I hung up the red Hat
Because naturally that

Will only drag me down faster
I've tried, and failed to become its master
With each consecutive attempt only ending in greater disaster

-

Whoever wears the red Hat is a doomed man
He knows it'd only catch him if he ran

This is the third time I've removed it but every time I glance back at the reflection
It's there again, mocking me by repeated detection
And it is at this time that I fear an infection
Running past my heart and through the hole in my soul, into a deeper section

-

Looking back, the red Hat was always there
In every glare or evil stare I could ever dare to prepare

What is the red Hat? Is the mystery still too uncertain to see?
It is the reflection of what used to be.

I entered the chasm and having looked around.
It is the collective sum of what, there, I've found.

I found, there is something between us.