THE MAN WHO UNRAVELED

Looking at my thumb today
My fingerprint seemed to sway
I looked a little closer still and found
The groove of my thumb unwound

And I thought: can this be real?
There’s no symptom that I feel
Someone help me! Won’t you help me?
And the groove is spinning out
Tell me: what’s this all about?
Now it’s gone! The print is gone!
And the lines inside my hand
Are being pulled out like threads
And I’m watching as I’m unweaving
And I wonder if it’s me
Or if someone else can see
See this man unravel

I check the birthmark on my chin
Blank skin where it should have been
Then check my other hand but as I feared
All prints and lines have disappeared

And I think: can this be real?
There’s no symptom that I feel
Someone help me! Won’t you help me?
Look at me, what do you see?
Blank page where I used to be
Stop it now! Show me how!
And I’m walking out the door
Neighbor down the corridor
He walks past me, he doesn’t see me
Now I’m running down the street
Hoping someone else will see
See this man unravel

And I think: can this be real?
There’s no symptom that I feel
Someone help me! Won’t you help me?
Look at me, what do you see?
Blank page where I used to be
Stop it now! Show me how!
My friends had nothing to say
When they saw me changed this way
They walked past me, didn’t see me
Now I’m running down the street
Hoping someone else will see
See this man unravel