The Girl in the Mirror

Throw my keys down, scrub off my face

This painted façade is indeed my disgrace

Home from the bar, leave all the men there

Go home and pretend that I don't care

Wake up, drink and do it again

Men know what they want I give it them



Take a deep breath, look up from the sink

For once there is silence, for the first time I think

There's a girl that I stare at who looks so sad

My grandma would say that her job is bad

I don't know this girl whose face is clean

I have not seen her since I was fifteen



Around her neck she wears a cross

I touch my neck it is lost

I search the room for the one thing that's mine

And then I find it, and everything's fine

I hold it up to see in the light

And I must say, 'twas quite a sight



I caught my breath, the girl did too

And then I knew what I must do

'It's never too late' I hear my grandma say

The girl in the mirror bows her head to pray

Then with all the saints and the angels I sigh

And with a deep breath I let out a cry



I cannot say why I am free

I do not know what God saw in me

But I no longer care when I die

God forgave me, I do not know why

I quit my job that very night

Fastened the cross and pursued the light



I have a new job, I'm married now

And on Sunday's I go to church and bow

The Lord blessed me as my grandma said

He always ensures that my family is fed

I was the sheep who ran away

But God chose to save me anyway

This poem won first place for the May 2023 poetry contest