Mirror, mirror on the wall

Do you ever get tired of all the faces you see

sometimes the same ones

again and again

sometimes

the only one

or

maybe you feel lonely when they

suddenly disappear

now unsure of your existence

do you then sigh with relief

when that spell breaks

like

early in the morning

so you feel whole again

filled with meaning

mirror, mirror on the wall

do you ever lurch with happiness

when someone smiles back at you

at the twinkle in their eyes

because

they feel sure of the world today

and

of themselves

maybe you savour this moment

this beautiful moment

knowing it might not last

or maybe

you feel the ache

of an ache when

someone doesn’t like what they

see in you

hurt pouring out

tears

a scream, curses

thrown around carelessly

at you

at their own lives

living for someone else

dictated by society

do you feel the urge to comfort them

tell them you are enough

they are

enough

please do not hide behind

layers upon layers

a thousand different masks

torturing themselves to

fit an image

of a world that is

an image of themselves

a vicious cycle

you are their truth

they are real

isn’t that enough?

mirror, mirror on the wall

i am curious

how can you stand by

and watch

moments of innocence

never to return

a tongue poking out at you

for the very last time

a chocolatey smudge

energy

draining away slowly

movements a chore now

the same brush heavy in their hands

smile a rarity

rushing to get ready

not really seeing themselves

or maybe avoiding what they let

happen

while you want to

shake them up

from this slumber

‘remember I know you’

you want to say

‘i can see you’

you want to shout

‘why can’t you’

now you feel resigned

mirror, mirror on the wall

how could you

let them forget who they once were

full of curiousty

imagination

wonder

amazed at the

resilience of their

bodies

minds

when taking risks was a

norm

and now

you remain eternal

while they fade away

morphed into

a different being

from the one

they were born into

mirror, mirror on the wall

tell me

you have hope

one day

to meet someone

or many

where

they see themselves

exactly

in your image

their image

not wanting to cover

or hide

instead

just be

please

just be