Karen Bassey's short poem looks back at a former self and passes a harsh verdict on her. The speaker repeats "The old me" at the start of four lines, almost like a list of evidence. At first the memories sound warm: she was fun, colourful, and cared about other people. But the repetition also creates distance, as if the speaker is talking about someone she no longer recognises.
The turn comes with "But," and the tone shifts. She now calls that earlier self "silly and naive," as though kindness and brightness were mistakes. The final line is the longest, and it suggests the speaker has been pretending, keeping up a "facade" in "a world like this." The poem doesn't say what that world is, which makes it feel bleak and general. The title, "ROT," hints at decay, as if something good has spoiled. The mood is sad, tired and a little bitter, with a hint of self-blame and loss.