
Hello readers, welcome to OCpoetry. This subreddit is a writing workshop community -- a place where poets of all skill levels can share, enjoy, and talk about each other's poetry. Every person who's shared, including the OP above, has given some feedback (those are the links in the post) and hopes to receive some in return (from you, the readers).

If you really enjoyed this poem and just want to drop a quick comment, to show some appreciation or give kudos, things like "great job!" or "made me cry", or "loved it" or "so relateable", please do. Everyone loves a compliment. Thanks for taking the time to read and enjoy.

If you want to share your own poem, you'll need to give this writer some detailed feedback. Good feedback explains from your point of view what it was like to read the poem, and then tries to explain how the poem made you feel like that. If you're not sure what that means, check out our [feedback guide](https://new.reddit.com/r/ocpoetry/wiki/feedbackcritiques), or look 

when i say want and hate share 50% of the same DNA, i'm talking about the actual words. they share the letters A & T, and are both four letters long. half, or 50%, of their "DNA" is shared

I don't understand when you say "share 50% of the DNA" is this a half sibling? Like that puts the whollle rest of the poem into a new even darker light. 

The first 5 lines and their basic idea - you can't help but be the real "you", no matter how hard you try, and it's killing you - that's well expressed. 

The 2nd part..especially when you divide up your face into what belongs to you vs this other person- that is confusing and horrifying. 

And then the 3rd part with the DNA

i can't bear to be
me
any longer

i know this song and dance
by heart

i'm the one who wrote it

i lost my mask
long ago

and no matter how many layers
of paint
i slather on
they always
see
right through me

~

you're perfect
in your abhorrence

the world is your ashtray
your hand-rolled cigars
wrapped with the pages
of my diary; my wildest fears &amp; my deepest dreams

the ashes flicking
onto my calloused skin
from your porcelain hands

i couldn't help but wonder
what they might
feel like

against my skin

between my lips

&amp; on my tongue

in my dreams
you pull the strings

my jaw is sharp
&amp; my lips supple
but they are all that is mine

my cheeks, blistering
my head, hollow
my words, yours
&amp; the rest as well

~

if only i could be
your world

i'd even settle for
your urinal

want and hate
share 50%
of the same DNA

i can run on hope
for months at a time

[1](https://www.reddit.com/r/OCPoetry/comments/xrmqo5/there_was_war_that_stood_here/iqg1vjx/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=ios_app&amp;utm_name=iossmf&amp;context=3)

[2](https://www.reddit.com/r/OCPoetry/comments/xrko9l/the_girl_who_spoke_in_touch/iqg2isq/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=ios_app&amp;utm_name=iossmf&amp;context=3)

Bleach