CRACKED MIRROR

I stared into the mirror too long And it finally broke beneath my gaze Not from age, neither from accident But the weight of truths I dared not face. I saw a childhood in pieces stitched together with borrowed faith smiles that were survival and joy that never quite fit. I tried to imagine someone else a better version but the cracks revealed more than I could ever hide. Behind the splinters a black hole not born of stars but dug by my own hands layered carefully to bury what hurt too much to hold. I hate that reflection not for what it shows but for what it threatens to reveal a truth I can’t unsee, the quiet contempt I carry for the person I pretend to be.