PROLOGUE
Anxious and reserved, he entered his secondary chapter
A shy boy greeted by pristine hallways and youthful laughter
But targets came locked and loaded as he went about his day
Dubious words of vitriol that would always come his way

Yet one fateful day sparked a sequence of events
He said “enough is enough” and forged another self with motivational intent
“I’ll prove people wrong” he said chipping away at his “imperfections”
Sculpting a “Jack of All Trades” persona, he had gained all their affection

His outside appearance now reflected an ethereal glow
But deep down he knew, some people were just there for show
Always overcompensating, he knew their love was fake
For some of those people were the same tormenters in their garden of snakes

ACT 1
His porcelain visage would be maintained for three whole years
But in secret he denied who he was amongst his delicate fears
A self-imposed happiness, he wouldn’t allow himself an ounce of melancholy
He burdened himself in shackles of fake smiles and folly
“Always be positive, don’t ever complain”
Despite hearing people out, some never gave out the same

But one day he ran towards some radiant energy
It was a boy he would admire, but in the future would also envy
On his birthday the boy gave a gift the receiver would always treasure
Burning Red was this body of work that would change the trajectory of his life forever

A few months passed and December blew in with an anxiety infestation
As he and his friend took a trip cross country throughout the nation
Depression entered his mindscape and the choir sang the blues
Subconsciously, he wasn’t aware a third “passenger” had boarded too
Butterflies overwhelmed him as the boy fell asleep on his shoulder so informally
But in his denial he asked “Please God… please God… Let me have some normalcy…”

Returning home, his thoughts were filled with dread
The silence had become so loud, he thought it could wake up the dead
Conceding to himself, the facade had begun to break
Confessing his feelings, he placed everything at stake
But alas, that sunshine he desired wasn’t reciprocated by his one true friend
Midnight rain drowned his sorrows as the calendar year came to an end

ACT 2
What followed was a crisis that led to an academic exile
The world crashed down on his strings that stretched out for miles
Caged in his mind, he was off to the races
Cyclical thoughts constantly took him to several dark places
“I can’t be a role model, I can’t represent what is holy
I am a walking contradiction, and I don’t even know me”

Banished by the administration, the doors had closed on his face
He now had to fend for himself and finish school at his own pace
But alas, he couldn’t even finish one class at home
His fate in this world seemed to be written on stone

Burst into shards that were scattered on the floor
He believed his life would have no meaning anymore
In his frustration he decided to use words to kill
So he assumed the role of an antagonist in order to fit the bill
Believing he had lost his friend, he sunk even deeper
Writing words of malice on his body, he was ready for the reaper

But all hope wasn’t lost, and a loophole was found
His past school credits were enough to come around
A social pariah, he deemed all his peers were perturbed
A diploma in his hand, but he often wondered if it was something he deserved
On this day of graduation his friend was nowhere to be seen
The persona he once built was now torn apart at its seams
© Michael Kevin Olegario