I ... entered the poem of life, whose purpose is ... simply to witness the beauties of the world, to discover the many forms that love can take. (Barabara Blackman in 'Glass After Glass')

These poems are works in progress and may be updated without notice. Nevertheless copyright applies to all writings here and all photos (which are either my own or used with permission). Thank you for your comments. I read and appreciate them all, and reply here to specific points that seem to need it — or as I have the leisure. Otherwise I reciprocate by reading and commenting on your blog posts as much as possible.

23 March 2017

Mirroring Myself
















The mirror (in the photo) 
shows my hair
early morning wild;
the light striking my glasses
as I look up a moment 
from the laptop on my desk.
I’m propping my head on my fist,
thinker’s pose, and I’m still wearing
the watch that shows the time in the dark.

Out of bed three hours and more,
I’m still in pyjamas (yes,
my T-shirt-style pyjama top 
is black, so what?)
but I have had my coffee 
and even breakfast – a starchy bun today
as I’m out of healthy low-carb cereal;
well at least I keep a balance, ha ha ha.

The desk mirrors me too …
the fact of the laptop, first port of call
after pouring the coffee,
the essential coffee (black, unsweetened 
Espresso, plunged). The fact of
the mirror – a spare,
nowhere else to place it, but I like it
because it’s big, round, and framed in black.
I tell myself, if anyone knocks at the door
unexpectedly, I can at least straighten my hair.

At the side table just beyond the desk,
forming part of it really (my stuff
always overflows) is the Goddess Sekhmet
lion-headed, a small statue
perched on top of my box of business cards.
And next to that, on an old card file of Reiki students,
you can just see my prettiest clown. I love
the sad clowns; don't find any clowns sinister, so there,
and my house is full of them. This one, if
you could see her completely, has delicate white hands
to match the painted face with two large teardrops.
Her costume is mostly purple, some hot pink. My friend 
Angela, who doesn't freak out at clowns either, 
found her in an op shop and grabbed her for me.

Behind me in the mirror you can also glimpse my kitchen
where another well-dressed clown
hangs from the ceiling, sitting on a swing.
But I am not in my kitchen,
not preparing food, not washing dishes,
not even ironing although the board is set up.
It’s been there for days – never mind not visible
in this photo – waiting for me to use it,
and still waiting. That you can't see it 
reflects, I guess, a truth.

The mirror
captures a moment,
a moment of me. The photo
preserves it, the surroundings
elaborate upon it, to some degree,
and the poem shows you
a fuller picture. It’s warts and all …
except that it isn't all
and never can be. (No human being
can be so reduced.) It’s just
this brief reflection.


Written for Poets United's Midweek Motif ~ Mirror

18 comments:

  1. It’s warts and all …
    except that it isn't all
    and never can be... how well you've captured it..love this line.

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  2. I knew we were soul sisters. My morning hair is frightful and I wear t- shirt style pj's too, till late morning.....I absolutely love this time of life, lol.

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    Replies
    1. The pj pants are black too – it's just that they have cute pussy-cat faces all over them, lol.

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    2. Matching pyjamas without rips and holes are out!
      Early morning wild is in !

      Costs a fortune to get hair done like that in Sydney. Potentially very cool !
      All is needed is streaky black mascara and a face tattoo and piercings... very very cool !:)

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  3. Wow!!! nice morning meander Rosemary

    Much love...

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  4. I love clowns and mimes. I suspect I would be all smiles if I ever get to walk around your place, asking you the story of every piece, reading their personal tales on their faces.

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  5. i love that round mirror on the table and there's good cause for it to be there...lol...a beautiful morning reflection :)

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  6. This is absolutely gorgeously penned, Rosemary ❤️ especially adore; "The mirror captures a moment, a moment of me. The photo preserves it, the surroundings elaborate upon it, to some degree, and the poem shows you a fuller picture. It’s warts and all … except that it isn't all and never can be. (No human being can be so reduced.) It’s just this brief reflection."❤️


    Lots of love,
    Sanaa

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  7. Really like this, Rosemary. Indeed a mirror can share a moment of a person, but it is indeed a poem that gives a fuller picture!

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  8. I love this poem Rosemary. Your reflection is so honest, like a mirror's brief moment. I like the wisdom you share at the end - it isn't all and never can be.
    This is now my favorite of yours.

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  9. I love your reflection of you in the morning and the morning in you. Fun for us to enjoy you in this light, Rosemary.

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  10. Fantastic morning reflections, Rosemary! The poem has more everyday observations; but skims the surface of larger visualisation. Awesome.. :)

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  11. this poem is astounding!
    i love your truth and your vision.

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  12. So well elaborates on our many faces ... well, on the many faces of Rosemary anyway. Love that last bit, though ... never all!

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  13. Love the way you elaborated. I used my mirrors to practice my speeches. You can imagine what my mirrors saw;

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    Replies
    1. In the days when I was doing performance, I used to rehearse in front of the mirror.

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  14. I found this fascinating, Rosemary, and very well done.

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  15. Love the playfulness and interactiveness, of your words, Rosemary, feeling like you're talking to me, in person. Thank you, for sharing this small part of your life.

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