mirror

as a little girl
I would stare into
the bathroom mirror
for hours
pretending I was princess leah
with my braids curled around my ears

and later,
when I kept hearing how
beautiful I was,
I began to stare again,
trying to figure out
what exactly they saw
that I didn't-

Now, I glance
during the morning ritual
cleaning piercings,
brushing teeth,
fixing this mop of hair that just
won't grow fast enough...

But there's this mirror
in the living room,
in the corner
curio cabinet~
you look into it
and see yourself reflected,
but not backwards like most mirrors-
you see yourself the way
you look in pictures,
the way everyone else sees you-
still gives me shivers