To anyone that was a fan of fighting games in their youth,
Passing many hours mashing buttons, innocent fun though the content’s uncouth,
Mirror matches were an eventual occurrence, when characters faced off against themselves,
Worth thinking ‘bout the scenario in real life, namely battles in the mind,
Close to a real-life mirror match as can possibly be,
Something sinister ‘bout an assailant felt within the self only,
External rivals come and go, temporary problems at best,
Different story when you’re gaslit from within, ain’t no way to run from yourself.
Too many fucks given or not enough, maybe oscillating between them both,
Insidious and vindictive, impeding the achievement of goals and personal growth,
Carried on for so long with nary a belief in one’s self,
Head clogged and hazy by the clouds of doubt and loathing, it’s a special type of hell,
Uncertain when the seed was planted but damn it the tree’s sprouting,
Different gardeners did their part, should’ve kept them out from the start,
Sleepwalking but never dreaming, had little faith they could be achieved,
Probably fuck it up irreversibly, all roads pointed to that direction constantly,
Any semblance of happiness and joy short-lived, pain seemed everlasting,
Maybe that’s just how the script was written, but fuck it why won’t they change the channel?
The praises from the masses for good deeds falling on deaf ears,
Goals achieved written off as mere flukes, been like this for years and years,
Maybe since childhood for your boy if you can believe, ain’t paused to reflect upon it, might’ve started when an inevitable death became common knowledge,
Warning signs of sorts reserved for the masses, ‘Stay out’ and ‘Keep away,’ best they keep their distance,
Give ‘em a challenge or proposition, watch how quick they go a different direction,
Predetermined assumptions of the outcome being the main reason,
Ain’t fishing for no pity party, this is just straight facts,
Nothing hurts more than accusations of the former, do yourself and them a favour and try to understand them,
Maybe some can relate, maybe others can’t, if you’re among the latter better consider yourself blessed,
But where one area’s lacking another’s been strengthened,
Might not hold themselves to a high standard but guaranteed that iron will’s been tempered,
Still plugging along and trying, could have caved in from the beginning,
Defied the darker forces tricking ‘em into the ultimate submission,
Takes lots of courage and even self-belief to get up from a beating,
Some days worse than others but damn it, they’re still standing,
Maybe they’ll find their calling, even if better late than never,
One foot forward all the way, the odds don’t even matter,
Such voices may be hard to silence, some days the noise is deafening,
Battle through it anyway, be defiant and not a victim.