Mirror Views

Water running

Soothing sound

Echoing in small space

The mirror waits

Wanting acknowledgement

Or is it my own face

That seeks to be seen

Though I avert my gaze

And stare at suds created

By soap that turns

Hands to ash,

Its unavoidable

The quick look up

But it’s enough

To find the blue green mess

That are my eyes

Hidden behind glasses

That occasionally fix vision

That is lack luster-

The colors swirl

Different than their appearance

This morning

When the lower half was blue

And the upper green

Inverse of earth-

Drying hands

With cheap paper

Old words in gruff voice

Play through mind

Those eyes are going to get you in trouble

War with more recent praise

Spoken as though

The beholder isn’t present

I know

Her eyes are wild

Look at me

Two discussing

While I burn in a bathing suit

Enjoying the scent of salt air,

And maybe their words

Drown the deeper voice

Of a stranger

Meeting me for a brief moment

In passing,

Those eyes are going to get you in trouble

And I suppose they didn’t mean

The trouble they’ve really found

The black spots

The flashes

The uncertainty of depth

The possibility of losing

Vision-

The possibility of not working-

And yes,

They will get me in trouble

The day they go on strike

And I can no longer enjoy

The life I know.

-

The mirror goes black,

Light switch washing away

What my eyes can see-

Reminding me maybe someday

They won’t be able to anymore.

-

Katrina Thornley is an indie poet often inspired by nature. In June of 2024 she released her 3rd poetry collection, Arcadians: Awakening in Nature. It is available on Amazon.

Be sure to follow her on Instagram to stay up to date on new releases and to chat!