The mirror highlights the differences

From the polaroid on the wall

Of a man undriven, sad but unwilling

Enslaved to his own weakness

Sharp words and cruel tongues

Ignited the crucible long overdue

And the realization that change

Comes only through destruction

The self I left in smoldering ruins

Is a separate man from I

And while I cannot escape his influence

I am not beholden to his choices

The first steps on the iron road

Were uneasy and uncertain

But each hurdle fostered confidence

And drove me ever further

The price paid for change is steep

Pieces of myself chipping away

An offering to the iron for all it has given me

A worthy trade for what I have gained

I keep that photo on my wall

To commemorate my journey

My body stands much stronger now

A monument to my sacrifice

Powerful and unyielding

In all things I am like the iron

My focus bordering on obsession

I give no quarter or cessation