He swears up and down to never trust again
Growth is overrated, only time is underrated 
He has learned, he surely knows better
He has shed his naivety, being apathetic is just icing on the cake!
He swears he is more aware, he will never be caught unawares again
Every day he meets new people, every day he scrutinizes them
He finally finds a clan, a people he can call his own 
He feels confident, confident like how a man should feel
Sometimes they throw barbs, but he just brushes them aside
Barbs are just barbs, like lint on a cashmere coat 
They tell him to chill, to stop being uptight!
He has a strong fortress, impenetrable, strong, staunch
He walks head high, he is a pinnacle in itself
Girls and women alike want him, men too
He plays with some, he gives others what they need
But for him? He learned, he surely knows better
Sometimes he gets sidelined, and all he knows is confusion
He locks himself inside and tortures his mind so
Tries so hard to hold on to what he has learned, to forget the past
He wants to forge ahead but the demons prove too strong 
On his knees he goes, he holds on tight, he is strong, he can handle it
He knows pain and he lets it wash over, he’ll wash it all away anyway
He curses and he spits, he exhausts himself, he cannot think anymore
He imagines, he fantasizes
He allows dark thoughts to take hold before he can hold on to his only tether
Anger finally breaks through, so he stands looking in the mirror
Looks deep into his own eyes, speaks to it
Threatens, warns, cajoles, coerces, all in the mirror
He puts himself together, he does have an engagement after all
He winks at himself and saunters to leave
He sees shadows of who he was, he feels pity for them 
He wishes to guide them, but he swore, and he keeps his promises
He doesn’t comprehend, he just watches and wonders
He watches himself stand there as it all unfolds 
It truly is true, our path is destined, destiny can’t be thwarted
He remembers his breakdown fleetingly
Tries to check-in and comes up blank
Orders a drink and gulps it all down
He enjoys the burn and in one night catches himself in the mirror again
He feels the facade fading but he holds on tight 
He swore and  he never trusted and so, it doesn’t matter