Transmogrification of Self

I am changed,
I have transformed,
I am no longer the other me,
Now I am this one.

The one before you,
Looks familiar,
Though altered at the surface.

Internally,
Everything remains.
Boxed up.
Packaged.
Placed into storage.

How does this version differ?
He’s a little more eccentric,
Odder,
Older,
More productive.

He has emerged
From strange places
And accumulated influences.

His mask remains ill-fitting,
But it will refine with time.

I enjoy his quirks.
His penchants.
His writing.
His attire,
His choice of music.

May he long avoid
Being tainted
By the world outside.

I like this version of me.
I hope he can stay awhile.