woke up, a morning, and looked in a mirror
a return to natural instinct
and i had no idea what i saw
not who, but what
some ugly, horrendous creature,
puffy-faced, but stripped of flesh
sunken and barren

indeed was she a woman, i asked?
so i looked down her shirt
hooking my nose in her collar
to find nothing
but a pair of mismatched buttons

surely she needs my help, i said
barely a girl
but she was guarded
tighter than her forced smile
contorted
tighter than the skin on her chest
or her reassurance

you're doing this to yourself, i screamed
glazed over
once she flashed her glassy smile
i was put at ease
until she burrowed deeper
to where i could not see

melodramatic, she wastes her time
mine too
wishing for oblivion
i chide her
she doth not listen
she doth not think

she drowns in her mind, i see
she snarls at me
you do not see
who doth not know
cannot observe
can only be
but if you would like to know

invite me in, she doth, she doth
refuse i try
oh no
i must i must
she sings into my ear

inside her head, i ache and settle
understand, comprende, non?
she chills me
and delights me
tells me what i long to hear

she loves me
in a way i know
her bitter thoughts
and rhyming prose
displacement from another world
deep in the mirror,
i know, i know.