My Reflection

 

I’m standing aside myself

beside I walk along the path

holding my cold shaking hand

“ it’s over here, turn left, up the steps-

 steady now baby this is what its supposed to be “

gently stroking long flowing hair

cradling the baby in me

 “it’s hard I know sweetie, but this is what was meant to be”

she lye along the bed

so drained and tired

limp body and tears

emotion leaking from lucent frail skin

 baggy jeans tattered and stained

blood covers the shame of her shame

in the body she bares the weight of despair

sitting idly on her mind’s rocking chair

back and forth she topples over

 I run to her, but every step pulls her further

Something’s got her by a string

rag doll effect

 I watch in helplessness

as she flails around the room

thrashing and crashing full force into walls

I fear she’ll break through the window and shatter with the truth

she buries

shovel in hand in the cemetery of love and happy endings

all good things come to an end

all innocence it taken eventually

 It’s a perpetual seed

steming out from poisoned leaves

 we eat the leavings of another and let it nourish our endeavors

playful jesters become words to live by in a childs eye

none the wiser we’ve polluted our waters

and carried on our life line

a tethered frayed string reaching beyond its means

to sustain

each little fly away cut for release

 I watch her scream

and know this is her fate

 is she flying away from loves rope?

 has she given up hope?

all I can do

is stare through

this reflection in the mirror

Reviews

[Kees Kapteyn]

Great imagery on the concept of selflessness and helplessness. In hindsight, we feel we look at ourselves and wish we could have helped ourselves, but to feel that we are right next to ourselves as we feel our pain and make our mistakes is almost to not be accountable for our own actions. There really is no glass, no mirror between the narrator and herself- the narrator can actually grab that misguided little girl and steer her straight. We are never really as helpless as we believe ourselves to be.

[SM Davis]

Very interesting approach to this! I've written something similar...I can relate to much of it. You've done a fine job with the imagery here.