That damned mirror

I'm going to throw away that damned little mirror

that shows me the crinkles, those damned little wrinkles.

I'm going to rip down those mirrored closet doors that haunt

me with truth each time I pass by.

In my mind,

I'm old enough to know what sex is,

how to make the most of it,

and attractive enough to make it worth his while.

How I long for those hot, panting sessions

of athletic pleasure.

But that damned little mirror reminds me

that I sit here in my grandmother's body

trapped by weight

with bad eyes, bad knees, and rough skin

knowing that it's over.

February 2013