Mirror
Gym exuberance of inflated expectations,
a zone of grunt and sweat
I curl my way to fifty crunches,
sit ups like the urgency of passion
My puffing, a heart racing horror,
gulped breath like frayed bag pipes
groaning
Misplaced faith that ripped abdominals
will return
comforting false belief, the glue of gym religion
trying to barter with time
to restore a faded body image
This flabby stomach resisting restoration
subdued by the clarity of aging
Hushed denial that youthful prime has been cut in two
like an apple severed
Where to shake blame's finger?
Gym mirror strikes a keen awareness of self
as my reflective stare craves a different truth
to soften the starch of aging
to soothe the bully tones of real
When truth cannot be unglued from what the mirror
tells you
Poem composed: June 6, 2021
Revised: July 28/21
Copyright © Brian Sambourne | Year Posted 2021
Post Comments
Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.
Please
Login
to post a comment