Protected Identity

He travelled.
He walked down
a new street
with new people lining it.

Songs of romance
re-entered his mind.
He even forgot his age,
imagining himself much younger.

With identity changed
the past and the
counts of years
were muddled in his mind.

All the things he
couldn't have before
now seemed within reach.
He gave himself

permission to reach for new joys.
When the past is lost and
identity changes and
life continues innocently day by day

with the sun rising and setting
and things not painful,
it was more than tolerable, it was fun.
Never mind the occassional frights

that happened
just to keep interest up.
He looked forward to
the meals of fish and spices