Younger Years Poem by Jeremy Willson

When I was young I'd lie to strangers
I'd tell them my name was something random
Random but normal like Tedd, John, or Rob
And they'd believe me
I'd say I was a big shot
Some wealthy philanthropist or a singer
On his way to stardom
I would tell them I lived somewhere I didn't
And had family I don't have
Cause I could be whoever I wanted to be
Anybody other than me
I thought it was amusing to play a part
To say I was something I'm not wasn't a big deal
I didn't think it hurt people cause they don't care
They don't know me and will never know me
The real me, how I feel, what I think
They won't get a chance to find out
I'll leave one day and never return to these places
I would drift and leave behind these lies I've told
But then I could just as easily lie to a friend
A family member or to myself
And that was when I decided I'd stop
The younger me was foolish enough to believe
That the real me isn't someone others would like
The me that makes dumb jokes
Tells people to be all they can be but to stay true
Stay humble and never forget where you came from
These places that I'd drift and hangout at
They're not places I want to forget anymore
They're something special with familiar faces
That now know who I am
And maybe they don't care about me but that's okay
Cause I'm older now and the only person I want to be
Is me.