Cruel Mirror

I looked in the mirror

And I screamed quietly

I screamed quietly

I put my hands over my face

And peeked through my fingers

I peeked through my fingers

I’m not sure I like what I saw

My life is written across my face

I could see every hollow

Every line had a windswept trace

Like an old map with fading ink

My hair used to be dark

But now its silvery grey

What the lord gave at birth

Age has taken away

I looked in the mirror

And I screamed quietly

I screamed quietly

I put my hands over my face

And peeked through my fingers

I peeked through my fingers

Not sure I liked what I saw

I tell myself I’m younger

From my head to my heart

It helps to ignore the fact

My body is falling apart

The creaks are getting louder

Newspaper writing is smaller

I feel like I’m shrinking

I used to be taller

I looked in the mirror

And I laughed quietly

I laughed quietly

I took my hands off my face

To count the lines on my hands

To count the lines on my hands

I know I’ve been here before

©JMcN2016