Mostly About the Past

December 11, 2011 at 4:42 pm · Filed under Dark Side, Poems ·Tagged Charles L. Mashburn, https://charleslmashburn.wordpress.com/2011/12/10/an-ordinary-guy/, http://gooseberrygoespoetic.blogspot.com/2011/12/poetry-picnic-week-17photos-nostalgia.html, http://networkedblogs.com/rjrkK, mirror, poem, story, writer

I posted a story yesterday on Kellie Elmore’s Free Write Friday. Her prompt suggested we take a look in the mirror and write about what we see. You can read the story by clicking on the title —> An Ordinary Guy. The poem I’m posting today on Gooseberry Garden’s Poetry Picnic #17 is a slightly different take on that look in the mirror.

Mostly About the Past

I suppose I’m as nostalgic as they come

I write stories and poems, mostly about the past

                  Feeling terribly inadequate and untalented

Accepting accolades and the occasional award

As polite kindness more than compliment

Asked recently to look into a mirror

Then tell what I saw looking back at me

I spoke of the multitude that molded me

Into the person I seem—or perhaps want—to be

                 A good person—I think—but I have my doubts

I refuse to look too long at the face in the mirror

I’ve never cared much for the look of the guy

                    And I don’t share many photos of him

Thinking most would agree with my assessment

That he’s certainly nothing special to look upon

Having been told it’s what’s inside that counts

And to look for the good in everyone

I do so with regard to the man looking back at me

I speak kindly of his past as well as his present state

          Gamely attempting to let the bad dogs slumber

I like to think he is still the shy little lad

The frightened new kid in class who talks funny

And yet I stare at this old man in the mirror

        No longer shy and only the slightest bit afraid

Wondering when the child within will die

Copyright © 2011 C. Mashburn

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