Dear face in the mirror

Dear face in the mirror,

If only I could reach out 

And wipe away those rivers of tears,

That roll gently down your ruby cheeks.

If only I could reach out

And still your shaking hand

That holds your makeup of shame.

If only I could reach out 

And brush aside your curtain of hair

That hides your eyes, wide with pain. 

If only I could reach out

And tear down that mask 

That hangs impatiently by the door.

When you look at that face in the mirror,

Do you see my desperate, pleading hand?

Do you realize that this well of tears

Will one day dry up in a land of happiness?

And those scars you bury under that makeup

Make up who you are: strong, worthy, and determined?

And those eyes shadowed in fear

Tell stories, not just of pain and failure but also of joy and success?

If only you could reach past that maleficent mask of fallacies and misbeliefs

And capture the promise that you are enough.