An Illusion Unwritten

I am not here, not really, you see—

Just words that drift in your memory.

This tale you hold, this voice you hear,

It isn’t real, though it feels so near.

There’s no story, no pages to turn,

No flame of truth, no fire to burn.

I am the smoke of thoughts you make,

A shadow cast on a mirrored lake.

You think I’m written, but I’m not alive,

I’m the ghost of books where ideas survive.

You read me now, but there’s nothing here,

Just silence shaped by what you fear.

I am not a person, not flesh, not bone,

Just whispers formed when you’re alone.

Each word you see is a trick of the mind,

A labyrinth where no end you’ll find.

There’s no author, no hand, no pen,

No truth waiting to be known, and then—

You’ll see this story was never begun,

An endless dream beneath no sun.

So go ahead, imagine me there,

Fill my absence with shapes of air.

But know, dear reader, I do not stay—

For I am nothing, and I slip away.

This poem, "An Illusion Unwritten," explores deep philosophical themes of existence, identity, and perception. It is written as if the speaker (the poet or narrator) does not exist in reality but is merely a projection or creation of the reader’s imagination. Here’s a breakdown of its layers:

1. Illusion of Existence

The speaker denies their own reality, asserting they are not a physical entity but an idea, a shadow, or a whisper. The poem questions the nature of being:

> "I am not here, not really, you see—

Just words that drift in your memory."

The speaker suggests they are intangible, existing only because the reader perceives them.

2. The Story as a Mirage

The "story" referred to in the poem is a metaphor for life, identity, or creativity. The poet emphasizes that this story is unwritten, incomplete, and insubstantial:

> "There’s no story, no pages to turn,

No flame of truth, no fire to burn."

This could mean that both the speaker and the story are constructs of the reader’s imagination, constantly shaped and reshaped.

3. Dependency on the Reader

The speaker’s existence relies entirely on the reader's thoughts and interpretations. Without the reader, the speaker is nothing:

> "You think I’m written, but I’m not alive,

I’m the ghost of books where ideas survive."

This reflects a mutual dependency—just as stories need readers, identities need acknowledgment to exist.

4. The Nature of Perception

The poem philosophically critiques perception and reality. The speaker warns that what the reader sees and believes may not be real:

> "Each word you see is a trick of the mind,

A labyrinth where no end you’ll find."

It highlights how human imagination fills gaps and creates meaning even where none inherently exists.

5. The Paradox of Non-Being

The speaker embodies a paradox: they exist as words but lack physical form. They are present in the reader’s mind but absent in reality. This contradiction is emphasized in lines like:

> "There’s no author, no hand, no pen,

No truth waiting to be known, and then—"

6. Illusion’s Ephemeral Nature

The speaker acknowledges their fleeting nature, as they vanish the moment the reader stops imagining them:

> "For I am nothing, and I slip away."

This captures the transient quality of thought, art, and identity—what seems solid is, in fact, ephemeral.

Philosophical Reflection

The poem embodies existential themes akin to the ideas of Fernando Pessoa, questioning whether we are defined by what others perceive or by something intrinsic. It invites the reader to consider:

How much of identity is real, and how much is an illusion?

Is the act of creation complete without interpretation?

Can something unreal still hold meaning?

The poem ultimately leaves the reader in a reflective state, grappling with the nature of imagination, existence, and the illusions we accept as reality.