I don’t quite like that guy.
That fellow standing in front of me.
Looking back at me. Looking just like me.
He stands tall, his heart is fair,
But I don’t like some of what I see.
His form’s not perfect.
It’s tarnished in places.
I can see his flaws up close. His blemishes. His warts.
All, in plain sight.
And what is that discolouration?
Faulty vision or something in my eye?
A birthmark? Not quite,
It’s more than skin deep.
I keep staring, observing.
I can look into his eyes.
If I squint hard, I can see into his soul.
I can even read his mind.
I’ve been watching him for a while.
The chap seems familiar. Very familiar.
But some features are almost like an imposter’s.
I notice he’s laterally inverted.
Like some of his thinking, perhaps?
Some of his habits?
Let me alter my perspective,
Change my view.
No, that doesn’t help,
It’s much the same.
This mirror that I’m looking into,
Tells me he’s an image of me.
Of what and who I am.
And this same looking glass makes me realize
If I am to like all of him,
The object needs work to be done.
If you can see the flaws in yourself, you lose the ability to see the flaws in others and that is a wonderful thing. The object in the mirror no matter who stands in front needs work to be done. Beautifully put. Laterally inverted like thoughts and habits. Pretty words, vivid imagery.
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Great piece,you my friend have threaded the nail
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Thank you much!
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“The object needs work to be done.”
Don’t we all,at some point, just stand in front of the mirror and get lost in the person that we see who we’re most often unhappy with? And then we just observe ourselves unforgivingly, not realizing that it wasn’t life which shaped us as much as it was our reaction to life. When we do realize it, we begin to beat ourselves up about it so much that it just weighs us down more. It’s hard to live balanced, I suppose : ]
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Hey that’s so well put, Moniba! Yes, even when I can identify the flaws, it’s so much more difficult to act upon them. Thanks for the read.
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Reblogged this on random rants ruminations ramblings and commented:
through the looking glass…
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Most people love looking at mirror and think they are flawless (including narcissist myself). There are three ways to deal with this mirror thing:
1. Take a nice pebble and focus on center of mirror, and you know what to do. The radiating fracture lines through glass. Ah! Heavenly madness.
2. Refurbish yourself for a better look, a better self.
3. Love the way you are. Love yourself, irrespective of what mirror shows. As a shaayar said, “आईना देख ये तसल्ली हुई, कि मुझको इस घर में जानता है कोई” (mirror has assured atleast somebody knows me here)
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Well put! Thanks!
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Who isn’t a work in progress. An outward extension of what many of us think, well said.
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Thanks, M! When’s your new piece up? Waiting for my LOL for the day!
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Thank you. Believe you saw mine for the day.
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Yep, I wouldn’t miss yours. 😊
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Awwwe…thanks.
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Such a wise and profound piece 😀 often the flaws found in others mirror our own. Beautifully penned. Thank you so much for participating at Prompt Nights Kunal 🙂
Lots of love,
Sanaa
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Thanks for creating this platform! Best to you, too, Sanaa!
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Recognising our own flaws and living with them is a great step towards a balanced life…..I know how it feels to stare into the mirror and have trouble recognising the person looking back.
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Yep, Michael! 👍 Thanks for coming by!
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Being flawless is not an asset because that person cannot see the beauty beyond their own perceived perfection of themselves. How they miss out!
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Wonderful interpretation of the challenge…some people just can’t cope with imperfection:D XXX
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Thank you!
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Sometimes is so hard to look within (and without) objectively. Mirrors can lie so clearly. I think that some “work” often shows us what’s truly there, what matters, what’s perfect about the blemishes.
Love the pensive and sort of detached tone. It gives the poem a specially eerie touch.
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Thanks, M!
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nice reflections on self…judicious…
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Thank, Sumana! 🙂
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A brilliant portrayal of a reflection in the mirror. Perhaps, it’s in embracing inner self that we begin not to care about what the mirror says!
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Thank you, Khaya!
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It really is difficult at times to relate who we see in the mirror as us – you’ve captured that feeling when you suddenly meet your eyes in the mirror and question who is there
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Exactly, J-J! Thanks for coming across! 👍
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Remember the mirror is not a true reflection but reversed so don’t even trust that too much. We do need to take stock of ourselves but go easy on yourself some things are just what make you you.
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Why, thank you, Debi! That’s sweet!
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Ah yes, it’s often thus – even when another person is the mirror, as perhaps you meant to imply.
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Hi Rosemary! Thanks for stopping by. Actually, it was meant to be a reflective piece where I’m critiquing myself. I don’t know if it came across as such. Cheers!
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[…] via Reflections […]
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This is so well written – the path to growth and progress within. It is as hard as it is rewarding. Thank you so much for your words and thoughts.
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Thank you, once again, for your kind words!
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