Not Quite Perfect

Almost famous,
Not quite perfect,
A compliment tainted by doubt
Or a sugarcoated mockery;
Either way it tastes of bittersweet disappointment.

One step away...
The giant leap falls short.
There is little satisfaction
In knowing
It is always second best.

Falling faster,
Sinking deeper,
Faithfully grasp the chalky
Crumbling ledge;
Questioning expressions burn like white-hot flames.

Stuck halfway
On the path to enlightenment,
Shaded from a dazzling ray,
Welcomed by the shadows drowning;
It's impossible to know which way is up.

Walls close in
To suffocate,
But there's nothing there;
The air is empty
Of any hint or clue which road to take.

A blessed curse,
A villainous gift,
A whirlwind of chimera
To know
There's only just one thing.

One flaw,
One dream!
It could be seen
If this were an ideal world,
But alas, it is not.

Risk a step
In the wrong direction,
Or remain shackled
In the chains of promised safety,
Just one step away from perfect.