-the mirror-

the mirror

hits the spot

for the young with a quick

last glance on the run —

it serves the aging

morning-groomers

prepping before the fall.

the mirror

confuses the senses

of cats

and last week

the parakeet

flew into it with a dull

sickening thud as if

it'd had enough.

children often seem

puzzled by the mirror as

they neither appear to like

what they see nor dislike

what they see

and the blankness

of expression is instructive

as it goes that way

with me sometimes,—
one morning

presenting the articles of surrender,

another morning and onward with a warm

faucet-water splash to my face.