Am I the me that I once was

Yes, surely that is so.

But then again maybe not.

That skin that kept the water out

a month ago in the morning shower,

is now dust upon the carpet, and

a new skin keeps me whole.

The blood cells that eagerly flowed

these last three months

are fading fast as they wither

to be harvested by some macrophage

within the secrets of the liver.

So is the me that I once was

still here in any meaningful way? -

as all my body gets replaced

each year, each month, each day.

Even the thoughts I thought I had,

now have faded in the past -

while new thoughts overwrite the

very memories I thought would always last.

So if I’m not the one I once was,

then who should I then be?

And who do those past thoughts belong to now

if they don’t belong to me?

Previous version:

Am I the me that I once was

Yes, surely that is so

But then again maybe not.

That skin that kept the water out

a month ago in the morning shower

is now dust upon the carpet, and

a new skin keeps me whole.

The blood cells that eagerly flowed 

those three months ago

are fading fast as they wither

to be harvested by some anonymous macrophage,

within the secrets of the liver.

So is the I that I once was

still here in any meaningful way?

As all my body gets replaced

each year, each month, each day.

Even those thoughts I thought I had

have faded in the past

while new thoughts overwrite those things

and memories I thought would last

So if I’m not who I once was

Then who should I then be

And who do these thoughts belong to now

If they don’t belong to me.