Taking My Place

To the man who shouted at me
One morning on my way to the gym:
‘I’d like to be like you!”

You want to be like me.
You want to be me.
To take me just like that.

You want to just go to a shop
And buy me out like a commodity.
Very good.

You want to take my place!
To just replace me
The way seasons replace themselves.

You want to have it all.
All of it.
The things I have;
The things I do;
The things I have achieved,
My desires, my dreams.

You would like to be in my shoes,
Look here are my shoes.
I’ve taken them off for you
So you can wear them.
Take wear and see
If they fit you well
Like Cinderella’s shoes,
Make sure they fit well
And make sure they
Don’t pinch you at all.

Here is my car drive it.
My house, you can have that too.
Live in it, sleep on my bed
And see if you can survive
The grim nightmares.

See here is my hat
Wear it and see if it fits
If it does, check if your head
Can carry the things
That go on in my mind.

You like my dress?
Fine.
Here have it,
But I hope you get comfortable
With my odour.
Or were you thinking I have none?
O yes, unlike you I do have odour
Underneath some parts of me.
The real reason people
Wear deodorants and perfumes;
It is what dogs sniff at when they meet you.
My odour isn’t unpleasant though
Because I take my time to bathe very well.
So you can have my dress too.

You like to go to the places I go
You are sure you can cope
With the coldness of those places?

You like my friends too
You can have them
Together with the wines and women.
But be ready to pay the price
And carry many hang-overs.

You think you know me
Enough to take my place,
To enjoy all the things I’ve gained,
It is fine, just take,
Alongside all my bliss.
And pains.

You really want to take my place?
Always remember that
Like my fathers of old, very great men,
I was only a memory just like you.