Mirror | Teen Ink

Mirror

May 6, 2012
By RimbaudFan BRONZE, Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina
RimbaudFan BRONZE, Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina
3 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;It was no longer enough to be one person. I decided to be everyone.&quot; --Arthur Rimbaud<br /> &quot;The only unbearable thing is that nothing is unbearable.&quot; --Rimbaud


I came upon a man
Who was lying in the sand.
His eyes were tightly closed
And his hands were set in folds.
I looked upon him quietly and waited.
For a sound
A jolt
A voice
Elated.
But soon I found him not to be,
Sleeping?
No.
Dead was he.
.
I shut my eyes and wept
For this man I’d never met.
For somewhere out there waiting
A mother without her baby.
A child without his father
A wife without her lover.
So I reached into his pocket
And found a golden locket.
.
Two pictures inside were gleaming.
And I thought I must be dreaming.
A picture of him in one side
And the other,
I couldn’t believe it.
For there frowning up at me
My own face was beaming.
.
I took a better look and still I couldn’t see it.
This was no man id known
So down upon my lip I bit.
In confusion and in wonder
I set upon a plunder
Inside my mind
To try and find
An image but I blundered.
Not a recognizable face
Like any other of this race
Of this day
Of this age
On the papers every page.
I held my strong and steady gaze,
Looking at him
Was amazed
I realized without a doubt
I’d once saw this man
In the streets loud he’d shout,
And ask someone “Please!”
“One coin is all I need!”
“My wife is sick,
Someone please!
Food my baby daughter needs!”
.
And no one stopped.
No one looked.
They thought this man a lazy crook.
To stand around a forlorn stare
His hands chipped from the freezing air.
I turned to him
With a sad look
And realized I was the real crook.
I had a coin I did not need
But I was overtook by greed.
“Get a job!” I yelled at him.
“You lazy bum!” Someone agreed.
I felt the anger and regret come nearer,
And realized my ‘picture’ was just a mirror.


The author's comments:
I was inspired to write this piece when seeing the way my mother looked upon those who were poor or homeless. She acted as though it was their own fault they were experiencing the misfortune of poverty due to bad decisions they had made in their past. I found it difficult to explain to her why this bothered me, until I had a pen in my hand. To all those who have it bad, I pray for you darlings.

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This article has 2 comments.


180ann BRONZE said...
on Jun. 1 2012 at 12:10 pm
180ann BRONZE, Loveland, Ohio
4 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I don&#039;t know what I&#039;m doing.&quot;

this was fantastic!  

on May. 31 2012 at 12:27 pm
Alyssa.N.S. BRONZE, Toledo, Ohio
4 articles 0 photos 12 comments
BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL!!!!!