What is a Person?

"What is a person?", so many people ask

as I lived my life figuratively wearing my masks.

"Why build up walls?" many people called, 

as I braced and prepared for my own fails and falls.

"Why leave me behind?" almost everybody sighs,

as I at one point became so self centered I was my own franchise.

"Why did you even try?", says a voice inside

"When everything you did amounts to nothing when you die?"

"A person is someone who has a soul,

Someone who will always live up to their role."

"Me as myself built up walls all around,"

"Because we were afraid of the person 

Who eventually took them down."

"We were never left behind," I replied,

"As long as we for others actually cared and tried."

"As for trying to be myself", I yawned,

"I made sure I was my best self yesterday, today, and beyond".

And with a final smile and a sigh,

I let go of my regrets and finally, peacefully, died.

                                                                             -Anonymous