I was whole along my way-
Walking on, simply alone
For many a nights and fading days.
Holding my life to my own.

One day, a thought was posed,
"What if I divided my focus
To leave my weakness less exposed?"
So, I created me into an us.

More of a mask, this fracture acted-
Like a character played in a role.
Little did I know that I attracted
A painful price to toll my soul.

Like an actor, I donned my mask
When going about a difficult task.
For years this work tarried
Until my other put forth a query:

"Two is great, but what if we
Adding another two or three?
More drama, more diverse roles,
But relax, you'll still be in control."

It was simple: to split again,
Two others I had already created.
Two more, my mind did gain,
And forward to our life dark fated.

For years we did with our life
As others, through good and strife.
Until we met a friend one day,
Who's soul was fractured in many ways.

"You seem like me," sometimes they said,
But we denied our souls four shreds.
For years, we talked, and interacted,
Until one day, these words transacted:

"I ask you not to split your soul,
I simply ask to create new roles.
You see, the others here are awfully lonely,
It would still be you: the one and only.

"You favor one above another,
I need a friend for my sister and brother.
Create new masks, new roles to play
I assure you, its a small price to pay."

And so again, and again we splintered
To form the friends, my soul withered.
For masks of diligence and love
All beings we had conceived of.

Together, my masks and them did play,
Becoming more real day after day.
Until one day, we found ourselves alone-
And I realized what I had sown:

My soul fragmented, scattered be
With unique and diverse personalities.
They usurped my thoughts, some day controlled,
My simple life away was tolled.

Now twelve specters loom over me-
Haunting, waiting, for what's to be.
Fractured shards of our soul
All parts now of our new whole.