Silver Man

His name is Poe, well at least thats what I call him. It's not his real name however, that is something I keep for myself. I'm selfish when I come to him.

Poe means more to me then any living being on this planet. Consider him a spirit guide, dream lover, invisible friend, whatever it doesn't matter to me. I don't talk about him often, but I draw him almost constantly. I have since I was but a small child.

I remember the first time I saw him, I think I was around 7 years old. I was sitting alone in my backyard with my hands in the grass, trying to sink into the earth (I used to try to meld with trees too). When I opened my eyes I saw a pair of large white hands over mine, when I looked up he smiled at me.

His hair was so long that it rested in the grass around his legs, and it glittered like snow in the sunlight. I remember his hands being so warm, and large enough to completely incase mine. Parts of his alabaster skin seemed to shine like pearls when they caught the light, casting reflective patterns on the area around him. The most noticable thing about him were the silver, spiraling horns rising out of his hair. To this day I can remember the look in his crystal blue eye, so kind and gentle, yet somehow sad. I could only see that one blue eye because his hair covered most of his face.
It wasn't until many years later that I finally saw all of his face. I made him show me, I forced his hair back and saw that he only had one eye. The entire left side of his face was a mass of spiderwebbing scars.

That was the first time I ever saw him cry.

I told my mother about him and she just took it as a childs invisible friends, refusing to accept the 'spirit' idea. My grandmother once told me that the woman on their side of the family have had varying degrees of ESP and a fair share of dealings with the spirit world. My mother as well, but the thought of it bothers her.

And now, 16 years later, he is still with me. He's tought me more then anyone else ever could. He's protected me and taken care of me, and loved me when it seemed no one else would.

You can call me crazy, I dont mind. I asure you it's happened before. In junior high(same catholic school) my teacher had a psycologist come to the school to talk to me after I handed in an english asignment where I had to write about my 'best friend," and draw a picture of them. She called me crazy for writing about 'demons.'

I remember the exact conversation I had with the doctor-

Doc: "This 'silver man,' does he tell you to do things?"
Me: "Yes."
Doc: "What does he tell you to do."
Me: "To try and heal other people's pain."
The doctor stares blankly at me for a moment, clears his throat and continues
Doc: "What else does he tell you?"
Me: "That Mrs. Lardieri (my teacher) is wrong."
Doc: "Oh, what about?"
Me: "Everyone needs a path to spiritual understanding. No one path is right. Each person needs a path, and all are different. None are wrong, no matter what others claim. She always tries to force her beliefs on me, and I dont want them. I have my own."

Needless to say she wasn't happy with that. The doctor told her and my parents that Poe was "a harmless figment created out of religious rebelion." Those words hurt, but I didn't press the situation. That was the last time I really talked about him to anyone till recently. I met people who are more open to such ideas.

Imagine my suprise when someone asked me who the 'white ghost' was. But he is no ghost to me, he is alive, just a different kind of alive then we are. He reminds me alot of the Kirin, a oriental mythic beast. So that's what I consider him, my Kirin Shaman.

All I know is that no matter what happens to me in my life, he is the one thing that can never be taken away from me, and I love him with all my heart.
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Poe: You do know I'd never wear my hair like that?
Me: Why for?
Poe: I'll scare people. . .
Me: Shut up, your beautiful!

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