Mirror
by Stormcat
She
told me to look into the eyes . . . to look there
deeply
and recognize the person with those eyes anew and
speak
the words out I love you
I
thought it such a silly act . . . that I love myself is just
a
given fact and there is no need to belabor it with academic
exercise
to feed my ego's favor
But
for her I reluctantly acquiesce . . . confront the unshaven
in
morning dress of robe and slippers, study the foggy image
raw
and soggy ethereal mirage
Breath
taken, lips part, mind panics . . . no words escape
laryngeal
paralysis inflicts dead silence, emotions choke and
leave
me sobbing - spiritually broke
I
succumb to the mirror . . . . I cannot lie to myself
Copyright 2014 All rights reserved
There are indeed times when we are not terribly fond of ourselves. We are lucky when they do not last. Those who dislike themselves lead quite a miserable life and are in general unable to love others too.
ReplyDeleteThe misery of not loving oneself. The inability to voice the words which are untrue... we can lie to open air but when it comes to confronting ourselves, we are mute.
ReplyDeleteI do not agree with Gabriella. Some of us are incapable of loving who we are... but that doesn't mean we are devoid of feeling that love for others.
-HA
I do think it was a good exercise she had you try to do. I understand being unable to voice thoughts that you didn't have. I hope, however, that there will be a way and a time will come thatthat you will be able to look into that mirror, say the words, and mean them.
ReplyDeleteThis was a tough one for me as it brought back a very painful memory of an incident from my life. The poem is sad but it depicts a realization that started me down the road to self discovery and eventual healing. It is good to revisit painful memories from time to time.
ReplyDeleteHA ~ I agree with both you and Gabriella in that we are capable of loving others but we often short circuit the relationship because we cannot convince ourselves that the other loves us because we don't love ourselves so how can anyone else.
ReplyDeleteMary ~ It took some time and a lot of healing but eventually I was honestly able to face myself and mean it.
I can taste the pain and the forlorn hurt, but there are glimpses of hope and a touch of mercy in here. It certainty plays and stirs emotions.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing poem! Writing from experience, it is hard to choose the part that will have the most effect, and you have chosen the first gesture--the guided exercise done alone which seems simple but goes straight to the core of the problem--the first step of realization. Good writing. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteOh those last few words! When one knows this to be true, one can lead.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you crafted this poem. Keeping it short gave it a lot of impact. Loving oneself is an interesting concept. You know I think one has to have a degree of sensitivity and honesty to admit to themselves they don't love themselves. I'm of the opinion most of us live the imposed lie and never explore or examine these possibilities. As Socrates said - the unexamined life is not worth living. Good for you for not being part of that group.
ReplyDeletethought provoking poem... looking in the mirror is not always pleasant...something we all have experienced at one time or another...
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I so relate - the hardest person in our lives to learn to love, I sometimes think, is ourselves......a powerful write that really touches the heart.
ReplyDelete...a very expressive write.... and i agree too, to love oneself is the hardest thing of all... i thought, back in days, it was already enough to tell myself 'i love you' but then when everyone else seemed to turn back away from you & left you with nothing---quite frightening to admit, i am lost & outloved myself.... i had to give up writing for completely a whole year to find myself.... the missing me... glad i did... i survived.... now i'm back writing poetry again... better than the last... smiles... thanks for the poem... hey, left a li'l process note in the comments to clear. up everything prior to whati've shared to midweek motif... smiles...
ReplyDeleteTouching..It is really hard to bring back some experiences in words..nice one..
ReplyDeleteVery touching and expressive.
ReplyDeleteVery touching and expressive.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you have drawn out this reflection,,maybe it's me but I sense a kind of depreciating humour (the laryngeal paralysis - great term) .. The person in the mirror is hard to kid..
ReplyDeleteYou are on the way to discovering your real 'I'... How important to learn to love self before we connect to other hearts...~ Love your rhymes...very musical :)
ReplyDeleteha - so often the mirror greets us with the unwanted. It can never look down to the heart
ReplyDeleteoh! dang! facing yourself but better than walking with masks threatened to be exposed!
ReplyDeleteThis poem is powerful. Sounds like it would be such an easy thing to do to look in the mirror and say 3 words, but the reality obviously is it isn't for a lot of people. Glad that you were able to heal from your experience.
ReplyDeleteWhat an emotional powerful piece.
ReplyDeleteI love the raw honesty with a bit of humor in " Breath taken, lips part, mind panics . . . no words escape laryngeal paralysis inflicts dead silence, emotions choke and leave me sobbing - spiritually broke I succumb to the mirror . . . . I cannot lie to myself." A very powerful truth.
ReplyDelete