The mirror is a liar
Of the highest caliber
For I see myself inside
But something’s not quite right, for sure
An image not entirely pure
A face exuding arrogance and pride
Graven image, lesser god of his own design
The image of a man
Becomes the sum of all his loss
The eyes of age upon a page
Acquired taste, acquired wrath
Collateral heartbreak
Aftermath

The mirror is a liar
And in the same breath, speaks the truth
A voice that only I may ear
Reflections are illusions
Open to interpretation
How I see myself
Or what I choose
For you to see
A slant on my reality
Dorian Gray or Peter Pan
Or borderline insanity
A drifter and a charlatan
Secret held from youth
The man is still a child
Fear of falling, running wild
A hitchhiker
A thief
A prisoner in a cage
Paper tiger seething rage
Poet, slave to all I say

The mirror is a liar
Dark reflections in the glass
Reflecting an inherent sadness
Smirking smile to veil his madness
How many faces hide behind
This fool reflecting back
The king is dead
Long live the fool
Deception rules the day
Watching beauty pass away
While searching for a clue
Lost between what’s heard and seen
How many people have I been
A sinner, saint, a man of peace
There is no quarter, no relief
Covetous by nature
Dwells in present, past, and future
Killing what I nurture
Healing lovers with a poem
He’s known and yet, unknown
Dichotomy in a word
Calamity, profanity
Written on a stone
Surrounded by these contradictions
Eventually remains alone

The mirror is a liar
Reflecting chance and happenstance
Speaking with a tongue that’s split
We twist inside the worst of it
Prayers of worship in reverse
The power and the glory
Sacred blessings to a curse
The essence of a secret sin
You pricked my finger with a pin
Then smiling back you did the same
A covenant of love divine
Eventually, you crossed the line
Poured your darkness into mine
And we both disappeared
But that is a reflection, yes?
A picture in my mind at best
What else can it be?
Or more precisely, who?
A face of pure disgrace
Bloodshot eyes and tears
The depth of fear becomes a grave
Desire is a slave inside
The mirror in our mind
Reflecting back, a liar

TM DiSarro
©2024 TM DiSarro / MindScapes Publishing