A Reflection

Staring at the gilded mirror,
The reflection holds more than I see,
I show the truth I believe,
It reveals the lies on which it rests.

I show the smile on my face,
I see the tears in my heart,
The pride in my bearing,
Becomes the degradation I’m escaping.

The love that I receive,
Is selfishness I wrongly perceive,
The indifference I portray,
Becomes hatred that leads me astray.

The hope that I hold on to,
Is an illusion that disappears,
The strength that I banked on,
Is actually a thread of courage.

My reflection holds no semblance with me,
I stare at it and am lost in thought,
Is it in reality that I live,
Or is it reality that I’m escaping?

- Tanya Mishra