the mirror

"mirror mirror on the wall
who's the thinnest one of all?"
"not you!" says the mirror
"why not me?" i ask
"your face is too chubby"
i look at it and it does lookk chubby.
i go on a new diet.
a week later i ask,
"mirror mirror on the wall
who's the thinnest one of all?"
"not you, your arms are too pudgy"
i look at them and they are pudgy.
i go on another diet.
two weeks later i ask,
"mirror mirror on the wall
who's the thinnest one of all?"
"not you, your stomach hangs out too much."
i look at it and it does hang out.
i go on serious diet.
a few weeks later i ask,
"mirror mirror on the wall
who's the thinnest one of all?"
"not you, your butt is too big."
i look at it and it is big.
i go on a deadly diet.
a week later i ask,
"mirror mirror on the wall
who's the thinnest one of all?"
"not you, your thighs are monsteriously huge."
i look at them and they are huge.
i go on restriction diet.
a week later i ask,
"mirror mirror on the wall
who's the thinnest one of all?"
"not you, your calves are too big."
i look at them and they are too big.
i must get slimmer.
a few weeks later i ask,
"mirror mirror on the wall
who's the thinnest one of all?"
"not you, your feet are too big."
i look at myself in the mirror
i really look
and all i see is FAT.
or is the mirror decieving me?
i look even harder
this time i see nothing
but skin and bones
the mirror has been lying to me.
i ask the mirror, "why did you
make me look this way?"
because society expects
you to be this way.
i look at the mirror
and i throw a brick at it.
it breaks and crumbles.
i know i need help and now.

june 2004