View through a broken Mirror

A mirror sees more to us then the image it reflects.

View through a Broken Mirror 

By

Carlos Lorenzo Estrada 

I see you

Not as you want

But as you are

The things you hide from reflection 

Are mine to see in pieces of intention 

I'm simply indifference in glass

In the reflected image I cast

You are not the same in summer as you are in fall

Nor are you in winter as you are in spring

Perspective is yours to play

Reflective is mine to say

I do not cater to vanities aspired

Nor assuage temptation of heart's desire

You can choose to shatter me into a million pieces

But it will not change this prescient thesis

I see you for who you are

In every lie and single scar

Author's Note

My beautiful muse Cate Blanchett sat in front of her vanity mirror asking me with a wicked smile. "Like what you see, mortal?" Who am I to deny her allure, and inspiration.

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

I loved the complete poem Carlos.
"You are not the same in summer as you are in fall
Nor are you in winter as you are in spring
Perspective is yours to play
Reflective is mine to say"
The above lines. so damn good and thank you my friend for sharing the outstanding poetry.
Coyote

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you CP for your thoughts on this poem. It's funny that even a mundane act as looking into a mirror can Inspire a piece of writing. Sometimes the mirror reveals more than the soul if one is brave to look deep enough. Thank you again my friend.

[Coyote Poetry]

I agree. I use music and I read. I hope something catches my mind and you are welcome.

[Ruth]

True self exposed can be daunting to some but even reflection can be distorted for many try to rationalise what is seen...acceptance is paramount in this journey called life...sooo not easy but paramount. Your gift of articulation is immense Carlos...another wonderful thought provoking poem :)

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Ruth for your thoughts on this poem. I myself will seldom take more than a glance at a mirror because I'm reminded too much of past issues. One being my suicide attempt in my late teens. After being hospitalized for 72 hrs afterwards when I finally returned home I wasn't the same person anymore. That first look in the mirror reminded me of that and still haunts me to this day. It's as if I trapped that young version of myself forever in a mirror. Regrets are what is reflected back to me. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this poem.

[The Diamond Effect]

So well written, so descriptive! Many people put on facades hoping to fool us but for some it actually was the angle to help you see right through. You cannot deny the bad within some people are indeed a beautiful mess, waiting for someone to fall.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Diamond for your very thoughtful comment on this poem. I totally agree with every word you said. Especially the reference to people being a beautiful mess. That is absolutely true and mirrors have a way of revealing that. Thank you again for your kind comment on this poem I truly appreciate it.

[lessa (kenzie)]

Wow, this is amazing, I like this a lot.... :)

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Alex for your kind words. I'm not a very big fan of mirrors as you can tell in this poem. I tend to hate what I see because it doesn't lie to me. Thank you so much again for your thoughts.

[lessa (kenzie)]

I don't like mirrors so much either, When I look into them i wonder if I am doing what the reflection is.

[John Prophet]

Double WOW your talent is quite remarkable

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you JP for your kind thoughts. As someone who appreciates your talent as well as amazing art thank you my friend.

[Kathy Mc Cathy]

The real us is always concealed in the secret chambers of the mirrors absorbed , not reflected.. it can capture our expressions but not our subconscious desires and apprehensions.some day the facade concealed will be lit and seen for what it is .It will shatter into a million pieces , and that's when you know the real thing

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

You are exactly spot on with the meaning of this poem. I tendto call it the mirror of the soul or deeper consciousness. That moment where you look into the mirror and see more then you actually want too. The things you try to hide from the world as well as yourself. You totally picked up on the meaning of this poem. Very nicely done. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this piece I truly appreciate it.

[Lorry]

The difference is seeing the truth versus the facade we build up and almost convince ourselves of are real. Some can go along with the pretence, but some can still see the real, no matter how much we try to mask it.
To see your true self is to know your true self.
😊

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Exactly Lorry that is the meaning of this work. The mirror of the soul or deeper consciousness which reveals itself at times when we actually open ourselves up to what we are truly seeing before us in that mirror. To know our true selves that we hide from the world and try to hide from ourselves. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this poem.

[Chris Shaw]

A mirror may capture many of our expressions from day to day, through each season, but it will never reflect the true us. It captures external looks, but it can never express exactly what is going on inside, the state of our emotions. The mirror can lie. It can trick and it is good at it as well. That is where your fine words took me this morning Carlos.Havea good Wednesday.

Chris

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Chris for your thoughts. You are right the mirror is a simple object that is indifferent. It does only one thing reflect an image before it. It's the mirror of the soul which reveals more than we want to know about ourselves. The things we try to hide from the world as well as ourselves. It is what we see if we stand before a mirror for too long and open ourselves up it us internally. It's the mirror of our deeper conscious that reveals who we really are and can't hide from. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with me on this poem. I truly appreciate it.

[emmajoy]

When, as individuals we look in a mirror.. whether cracked, in shadow, dusty or whatever, we smile, frown, stoop or lean to search for what,.. ? When someone else looks in one's direction, what could be seen is what in all our pride or misery we reflect how we think we are. Perhaps. We are our own mirrors - if that makes sense! ?

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

It absolutely does make sense Emmajoy. It's our deeper consciousness or mirror of the soul staring back at us. It reveals the truth that we ourselves don't want to see or even know. You picked up on exactly the true meaning of this poem. Thank you so much for reading and leaving your insightful thoughts on this piece.

[barleygirl]

Interesting play with words here, covering everything one typically does not read about mirror action. Love the thought-provoking ideas (((HUGS)))

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Margie for your comment. My thoughts on this piece is I believe it references the mirror of the soul. When we view ourselves in front of a mirror consciously we are aware of our image staring back but if we stare long enough and are lost in thought our deeper consciousness reveals more. Years ago after my parents divorce my mom was getting ready to go out to a club with her friends and was sitting in front of her vanity mirror putting on her makeup and doing her hair. She was happy and humming as she did so. Then after a few minutes she stopped and had this very sad look ok n her face. Even her eyes were watery. What did she see? What was staring back at her to cause such sorrow? Guilt? A loss of youth? A sense of anger that she had responsibility to her children but was being selfish for her own needs? I believe that this poem alludes to those moments where we see our true selves staring back at us that we can't hide. I myself had a similar experience after my suicide looking into a mirror and seeing the truth of what I had done to myself. Since then I rarely stare into a mirror for more than a glance. Thank you again.

[barleygirl]

I don't do much looking into mirrors, nor do I look into myself or my past or life or death. I'm an "in-the-moment" kinda girl (((HUGS)))