Two Reflecting Mirrors: a Love Poem
I remember the bedspread upon which we slept, checkered and wrinkled;
I remember the green plastic cups and cigarette butts, littered.
I remember a painted face, laughing as we danced on Halloween,
The lines of cocaine on the floor, the room beginning to spin.
I remember kissing you at night under a red moon.
I remember a triangular mirror standing on the wall in your room.
I remember you walking with me at night, under the dark clouds, a black sky;
And later an empty bottle of crème de menthe hidden beneath the bed.
Opal eyes, and full lips;
Tears drenching the pillow, I touched you and you quickly withdrew.
I gave you a black journal full of my words, and colorful pictures of my life;
I whispered slurred words of pleading as you left.
I remember sobbing in the hospital room, crying out your name.
I remember them calling you, although you would give me no time.
The poison which had coursed through my blood
Could have been the nectar through which I escaped this world.
I remember when I was an infant, alone and crying for help.
I remember when I was a child, so humiliated, wanting an underground crib to hide me away.
I remember scrapes and bruises, tears and laughs.
There was so much embarrassment and shame.
My memories are like a flip-book. My life flashes before my eyes. The colors are so vivid.
I see myself dancing around a Maypole, dancing with you, a blue sky, a jack-in-the-box.
I see a doll that is beginning to turn yellow from age, its button-eye missing.
I remember I used to look at my face visually distort in the mirror and wonder about myself.
When you put two mirrors together, you see eternities.
One looks at the other one, and both reflect each other.
Forever facing behind you, and forever ahead of you.
We are two reflecting mirrors.
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