Before I'm gone, tell them I was a child of glee,
A chubby and jolly kid, spreading endless glee.
Before I'm gone, tell them I was filled with hope,
A child of love, with a heart wide open to hope.
Before I'm gone, tell them I was a hopeless romantic,
Diving into dreams, passion ever so frantic.
But as years crept by, my wistful ways decayed,
Joy, hope, and love, bit by bit, they faded.
Before I'm gone, tell them life revealed its guise,
Transforming my world to monochrome's cold ties.
The anguish it brought made me loathe my own skin,
Craving an escape from this hate deep within.
Before I'm gone, tell them I distanced my dear,
Withdrawing from their warmth, consumed by fear.
I retreated to my room, finding comfort in isolation,
Solitude's embrace becoming my new foundation.
Before I'm gone, tell them emotions began to stack,
Filling my chest until I felt about to crack.
A mere shadow of my former self, I became,
Lost amidst despair, drowning in my own shame.
Before I'm gone, tell them I turned to ink and paper,
Translating anguish into words, my unique caper.
In those written lines, I sought solace in pain,
Seeking solace, hoping to live through disdain.
Before I'm gone, tell them I loved them through it all,
Though a mere shell remains, a hollowed, lonely thrall.
I'm sorry for the person I've become, so estranged,
But my love for them, till the end, remained unchanged.
© Arvin Ramirez