Do You Know This Woman? (Poetry)

Do you know this woman? — Is she me? —
I’ve watched her from a distance — think I know
the coat she’s often wearing — sometimes see
the other person she pretends to be.

Have you spoken to her? — Does she seem
compos mentis or a fraction mad?
We’ve had odd conversations — what that means
is anybody’s guess. She conjures dreams

and gets me to imagine I am her —
the thought is scary... She has got to go
and soon ! Because I really would prefer
a simpler life — things back the way they were.

So, if you know this woman tell her straight —
she isn’t me — I've never been that sad —
immersed in some depressive manic state...
Meanwhile, I’ll sit here silently and wait.

Just get her off my back! — She makes me write
these poems — and there’s no one I can show
who’d understand their origin — who might
see it’s her who keeps me up all night.

You must have glimpsed this woman passing by —
the double of whoever I once was —
the likeness is quite close, I can’t deny —
but she’s some morbid fantasy — a lie.