Ugly

The mirror showed a reflection that wasn't my own.

My body is twisted, distorted, and overgrown.

It's a visage that fills me with fear and dread;

not the reflection I perceived in my head.

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The person staring back at me

is not the one I wanted to see.

She's laughing and mocking my frame

as though tormenting me is her game.

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The mirror seems to know my deepest fears.

My flaws and imperfections make it clear.

"You're ugly," she sniggers and boasts.

"Even the world views you as hideous and gross."

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Cackling at my misery, "Have you looked at yourself lately?

There was a time when you were very shapely.

Now, your youth is gone and considered disgusting and old.

Never again will you look vibrant and bold."

.

I want to retreat and bury my face into pillows.

No longer do I want to be subjected to others' egos.

I want to disappear or become invisible.

At the end of the day, I feel downright miserable.

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I realize I don't stand out unless I'm next to a pretty girl.

Inside I want more. Perhaps be a princess or wife of an Earl.

Instead, I have to face the mirror every day.

I wish I could remake myself as though made out of clay.

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This haunted mirror, cursed with demonic charm,

forces me to face my body, but with alarm.

I see the weight that I have gained or lost

And all the parts of me that have me crossed.

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This mirror plays with my mind,

showing me a world that's not so kind.

It's where body image is all that matters,

And perfection is what everyone chatters.

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"You are not real," I hear myself say.

"I won't let these lies lead me astray."

Confronting my reflection, I place my palms on the glass.

Before I know it, I'm on the other side of the pass.

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"Do you see what you've become?" the reflection utters.

"In this world, you're not enough," my heart flutters.

"Here, you're judged by the size of your waist and thighs,

And every flaw is there for all to despise."

.

My reflection is cruel, making my flaws so stark.

But, as I looked closer, I saw something less dark.

Instead, I saw hope and not a prisoner trapped inside.

I realized I was haunted by a misperceived design.

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So I took a deep breath and smiled,

Embraced my body and every negative I filed.

The mirror ceased to haunt me then

As I saw myself, flaws and all, as a friend.

.

No longer did I see just my reflection,

But a person worthy of love and affection.

The mirror, now a symbol of growth,

A reminder of the beauty we can both show.

.

The power my reflection has over me starts to dissipate.

I realize her power over me is to just imitate.

The mirror gives tricks of light and darkened shade,

And not a true reflection of what has been made.

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Instead of being mad at my reflection, I embrace her.

Only then does my soul begin to stir.

My head held high, "I won't succumb to your spell,

I'll no longer judge my body negatively. Your curse, I'll expel."

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Returning back to my reality, I step away from the haunted glass.

I look into the once-haunted mirror that's free from this mass.

I see the truth. I see me. I know the beauty within,

And know that my body is not a sin.

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So let this haunted mirror be a lesson,

That beauty's not just a physical expression.

It's the light that shines from deep within,

And that's where true beauty begins.