Mirror mirror on the wall,
when you look at me, what do you see?
Do you see my shiny, off-white teeth when I smile?
Or maybe the crinkles under my eyes?
But —
Can you see my ambitions,
my hopes,
my dreams
that all act as my guiding North Star?
Can you see how I follow the path of my heart,
how I trip and stumble along uneven pavement,
how I spend my time getting lost in the stranger lanes,
exploring every avenue in this wooden labyrinth of life?
how I face the oceans washed out before me,
and always find a way to sail to the other side?
Can you see the nights I’ve spent staring up at the stars,
peering through the dark,
imagining where my road will lead?
Can you see the bruises and scrapes,
where I’ve been shoved down into the dirt,
and the long days I’ve spent doubting my compass’ sense of direction?
Can you see the times I’ve stood up,
against the doubts of others,
doubts of the world,
of my own?
Can you see how for every dead end I’ve hit,
I’ve retraced my steps and found a new path to follow?
Mirror mirror on the wall,
can you see me and the journeys I have taken at all?
This is an installment in The Retriever’s new creative writing section. If you would like to submit your creative writing or art for possible publication in The Retriever, please contact ceyda1@umbc.edu.
