Don't Let Him In

Who's in the mirror.
Why does it smile.
Don't ask that.
Don't feed that.
Smile back once,
it learns the shape.
Walked every world.
Met every face.
Dead one.
Clean one.
Killer in my place.
Got to the end
and the end was glass.
Man looking out
had my jaw,
my past.
Same clenched teeth.
Same cold hand.
Same bad knee
where the old pain stands.
Same strap line.
Same split tongue.
Same little clock
where the nerves went numb.
So I didn't break it.
I didn't swing.
Can't kill a mirror
that lives in the skin.
I pulled the glove.
Read the hand again.
One finger white.
Still pain.
Still friend.
Still pain.
Still friend.
Don't let him in.
But he's already here.
Don't let him in.
That's the work every year.
Same grin.
New skin.
No verdict.
No end.
Just a cold white hand
and a line I defend.
Don't let him in.
Don't let him drive.
Pain tells truth
when the ghosts come alive.
Don't let him in.
Hold still.
Hold line.
Calm cool mind
in a hard red time.
I won't call it clean.
I won't call it sin.
I call it a door
that I keep pinned.
The grin don't die.
The glass don't crack.
The most I can do
is not smile back.
Tomorrow it asks.
Tomorrow it grins.
Tomorrow the same old
weather rolls in.
And I press the cold.
And I count the scar.
And I tell the dark
where the boundaries are.
Hold the tether.
Stick together.
Metronome stepper
through the redline weather.
Kill the comfort.
Aim better.
Not dangerous.
Weaponized pressure.
Weaponized pressure.
Hold the tether.
Don't let him in.
But he's already here.
Don't let him in.
That's the work every year.
Same grin.
New skin.
No verdict.
No end.
Just a cold white hand
and a line I defend.
Don't let him in.
Don't let him drive.
Pain tells truth
when the ghosts come alive.
Don't let him in.
Hold still.
Hold line.
Calm cool mind
in a hard red time.
Killer or clean
was always the wrong question.
Good or bad
was too small.
The answer is the hand
that still works.
The knee that still counts.
The jaw that stays shut.
The breath that comes back.
The answer is,
Still here.
Still real.
Still choosing.
Don't feed it.
Don't name it.
Don't crown it.
Don't claim it.
Don't break it.
Don't chase it.
Don't love it.
Don't face it.
Hold still.
Hold line.
Cold hand.
Clear mind.
Hold still.
Hold line.
Don't let him drive.
Don't let him in.
But he's already here.
Don't let him in.
That's the work every year.
Same grin.
New skin.
No verdict.
No end.
Just a cold white hand
and a line I defend.
Don't let him in.
Don't let him drive.
Pain tells truth
when the ghosts come alive.
Don't let him in.
Hold still.
Hold line.
Calm cool mind
in a hard red time.
Don't let him in.
Hold the tether.
Stick together.
Aim better.
Don't let him in.
Not dangerous.
Weaponized.
Still here forever.
Who's in the mirror.
Why does it smile.
Don't ask that.
Don't feed that.
Same grin.
New skin.
Cold hand.
Clear mind.
Don't let him in.
Again.