you think you know a guy 

years, months, weeks, 

day in and day out 

conversations exchanged

how things were left unsaid

how we chose or chose not to be

 

how we hide behind the way we speak

how we say or don’t say

the things we mean

 

you think you know a guy

and suddenly he’s a stranger

you never knew his thoughts,

never knew the things he’s done,

never knew the reasons why 

things have come undone

 

you think you know a guy

now he’s an ass, a jerk,

in a mid-life crisis,

he doesn’t know how to deal

he’d rather eschew responsibility 

and break away

 

you think you know a guy

he only showed what he wanted you to see

now he’s come clean,

no more pretending

 

you think you know a guy 

but did you ever

really know him at all?