mirror mirror
every morning i gaze into a round magnifying mirror
i gave to my mother months before she died she’d hide
the mirror daily fearing her staff would steal her soul
along with the mirror cutlery +clothes
the detritus of a life given away at the
side of the road
we’d search for that mirror each remaining day and find it
reflecting our hands holding each other’s fingers tight
forever entwined our fingers knew first
of the coming severing
searching for each other
with growing desperation
knowing our days were numbered she said
it’s coming be strong i walked her to the edge
the brink staring back gnashing gnarly black
now we meet in the mirror many times a day
vain my middle name ! she watches me age and
suffer the current apocalypse
she whispers apes you can get used to anything
you’ll learn how to bare the flagellate the thorns
now poking into son-in-law’s skull
things so dark i sometimes forget which side of
the mirror i am on her eyes shine brightest now
to light my path thru these wretched days
then the mirror
spits me out
mothered
and i can carry
it all for at least
another day
or two
__
Summer 2024 ..home stretch..
songanddancegirl 