Alison Cassidy - Looking Glass Reflections

When I was a child
the glass on the wall
was a mirror of me.
I put on faces and hats
and spent hours imagining

When I was thirteen
I hated the mirror,
for it showed me
the spots on my face
I spent hours attempting to cover.

When I was twenty
I would look in the mirror
and create each new face
that appeared on the stage
for the evening performance.

When I was a mother
I sat with my daughter
and showed her
the 'girl in the mirror'
and told them both stories.

When my children were grown
I met an old lover, who said
I was sexy and stood me
naked in front of the mirror
and forced me to look.

Now that I'm sixty, the image
I see depends on the mirror.
I like the one in the bedroom
because it faces the window
and the light is flattering -
especially if I take off my glasses.

Alison Cassidy

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/looking-glass-reflections/