Eraser

You come in different shapes and sizes
Following me like a mysterious thief
Hiding in the shadows, watching my every move
Everything slips away, so easily, so silent

I try to follow my destiny
It feels as if I'm moving backwards
You steal my dreams, memory and feelings
I feel no emotion as I drink your potion

Do I even exist?
I walk along the path but no one sees me
I stumble forward only to be taken back to my beginning
You are my past, present and future

You decide when I start and when I stop
You change my story, erasing my footsteps
Do I have family? Friends?
Only you can decide

I am your prisoner
You devour anything you please
I am the puppet!
You are the puppet master.

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This poem was highly commended for Poetry Object 2015

Judge's Notes:
"This mysterious poem sets up a powerful relationship with its audience. You, I: these pronouns set up a stark drama in the poem. We speak a poem and we read a poem: we are both its ‘I and its ‘You’; inside its world and outside it, too. This poem works because of the way the poet emphasises this dramatic relationship. First, the poet uses short questions, which makes the reader conscious of silence. Also, the poet works brilliantly with the pattern of ‘You’ and ‘I’ at the start of the lines. As the poem advances, ‘I’ and ‘You’ come closer to each other. It is as though the white space of the page is a landscape marked with these shadows, paths and footsteps. The poem works as a philosophical thriller. This poet’s ability to make a suspenseful drama out of existential questions is rare and impressive."
~Lisa Gorton, Poetry Object Judge 2015