after lucille clifton
After all these years
of looking in the mirror,
you still don’t see
what’s in you. There
have been times
I wanted to shatter
into slivers so you
won’t be tempted
to trust me, but I
am not the problem.
Listen, sweetheart:
Trust yourself. Trust
no mirror could
ever know the truth
of you. There are whole
mountain ranges
of wonder inside you,
unfathomable oceans
no mirror could ever
show. Go wander
and swim in your
own wilderness
until you don’t
need me anymore.