I stare at myself in a frosted mirror
Unable to recognize my image beyond the shape
Wondering who I am or who I am supposed to be
Why the image that I see does not match
The image that I see of myself in my head
No matter how hard I try
No matter how hard I squint or contort
I cannot make myself into that perfect image
That I long to see
So instead I replace the mirror
And I see looking back at me
Not a foggy shape
Not a clouded mistake
Not some perfect reflection of my dreams
Just
Me
About the Creator
Stephanie Hoogstad
With a BA in English and MSc in Creative Writing, writing is my life. I have edited and ghost written for years with some published stories and poems of my own.
Learn more about me: thewritersscrapbin.com
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Comments (9)
Big mood lol. I struggle with imposter syndrome all the time... just curious, what did you mean by "replace the mirror"? with another mirror? with a blank page?
That was fabulous, and entirely relatable.
Wow, this was very powerful. Well done.
This was brilliant. I feel more like an imposter more times than I feel Like myself
Oh apparently I liked this but didb't comment, sorry! No that feeling very well! The ending feeling hopeful, changing perspective may, seein into a differnt mirror and letting go of that need 🤍 Brilliantly constructed as always x
This is so relatable! Love it!
Lovely poem... with a depth of meaning. "Why the image that I see does not match The image that I see of myself in my head No matter how hard I try"... P.S. I'm usually rushing off somewhere & barely used to look in the mirror... until someone commented on the toothpaste lurking on my face! Now I try to remember to look & also tame my typically 'shaggy sheep dog' hair!
I'm really not sure it's possible to view ourselves clearly!
But what was the mirror replaced with? If a ultimate goal is viewed as a giant lake, a large reflection of ourselves it will take. Yet, that image is always a blur as the surface of the water is stirred. The ultimate goal, becomes milestones, the lake are but drops of dew. When looking from far away the reflection is huge, but moving closer changes the perspective's point of view. A drop in a divot is so small that nothing can live in it, except ego, id, a hue. Yet, the hue is amiss when it's all hubris, as the drop is composed of three elements. For the lake to be made and sanity saved, one must realize how they form. Greatness takes patience unlocking the latent potential that we all hide behind. Let us not foster an imposter as we go about our days. Buckets that are carried, tear and sweat that are dropped, are water all just the same. When it comes to the lake, do not bury Yourself in a watery keep. Beauty, like the lake, is below the surface. There is more than just skin-deep. Back in the day, mirrors had silver, and vampires couldn't see their reflection. Sunlight kills them, and silver does too, but You're worth more than silver dancing in sun rays. You intrinsically seek introspection. Is the imposter in the mirror truly real based off our own reflection? Maybe sometimes we self-deprecate into mirrors as projection. Self-autonomy makes You willfully powerful to change Your view for more than just Your own protection.