The Face In the Mirror (From Gazette & Herald)

The Face In the Mirror

Rising smoke billows like steam, twisting and swaying like

a belly dancer. He gasps as if breathing in the grey clouds.

The tray is full of moments in time, measured by the length

of each stub. The eagle tattoo disappears like a snake as he

rolls down his sleeve. He slicks back the smooth shiny grey

strands with the precision of a leopard slowly stalking its prey.

The stones plop and gulp, then shimmer like a fading dream

that once was vivid, but soon evaporates in the ripples of time.

The reflections of a boy running through streets, hitting the railings

as if his stick is clattering between spokes. The shadow on the wall

of the freckled boy suddenly has the lines and creases of the face

in the mirror.

Updated: 12:26 Thursday, August 16, 2001