I look in the mirror

And I say to me

You are beautiful.

You are pretty

I look in the mirror

And I just stare

At each individual strand

Of my beautiful black hair

I look in the mirror

And I don’t despise

The dark brown whirlpool

Of round my eyes

I look in the mirror

And I am not opposed

To the cuteness of

My little button nose

I look in the mirror

And compare to my hips

The curviness of

My heart-shaped lips

I look in the mirror

And it appears

That they are the perfect size

My ears.

I look in the mirror

And my eyes they send

The message to brain

The smoothness of my skin

I look in the mirror

And repeatedly think

Am I really pretty?

While my heart sinks

I look in the mirror

And I see the ugly

That is captured internally

By the face I showed me

I look in the mirror

While I am bare

And do not like

My straight black hair

I look in the mirror

And realize

That it is my eyes

That I despise

I look in the mirror

Oh so close

At that hideous

Little button nose

I look in the mirror

While I sit

On my too-big hips

Contemplating my too-small lips

I look in the mirror

And get my gear

To go to school

Even with my crooked ears

I look in the mirror

And I look again

At the pimple-covered dermis

That is my skin

I look in the mirror

And I see me

And insecure girl

Who doesn’t know if she’s pretty