Add to me slithered hope br lather on time telescoped: br I aspire to grow br larger than I am. br br Piece together small achievements; br test my dreams against cubicle worlds br and gauzy friends br shadow boxing. br br I cannot yet define who I am br so I invent pieces of me br to fill in the gaps reality leaves br in between br traces of my apartment life. br br How can I mature br in these panoplies br where I never see br experience full-scoped? br br Fragmented life br in shattered pieces br distend the human mind. br br If failures and hopes br are not mine br and only Similes of same br br then my life is not my own, br experience itself interstitial. br br Some days, br I suffice br to queue br and wait to be- br imagining that br I am becoming br the am br I’m currently not. br br But in all this br I can see br I’ll breech the abyss- br br dreams my sturdy bridge; br til that day I am whom br br I used to dream br I’d be.