Mirror, Mirror - a poem by Sam Karpeh

Article by Claudia Kittock

This is the title poem from the book Mirror, Mirror written by 23-year old Sam Karpeh. Available through Amazon, this book of poems chronicles much of the chaos, pain, and triumph of Sam’s life. Sam, an actor in the Mill City Players since the first rehearsal, is multi-talented and an amazing young man. Don’t miss reading his story.

Mirror, Mirror 

Mirror

    Can you hear me?

    What am I looking at?

    Answer me now dammit

    All I see is a man six feet three inches standing there

    With eyes red from all the bleeding to live and smile

    You adding weight to what I’m already carrying

    Can’t carry no more, my legs dying like I’m on my death bed waiting for someone to come and carry me on

    Come on now,

    I want to see what you see when you look me in the eye.

    I’m still waiting for that answer

    Day in, day out, it’s still quiet

    I see a fat man in the mirror trying to smile back at me

    I know you think I’ll fade away into the dust of the wind

    Come on I’m blowing away here

    I eat and eat the fruit of life yet I’m not full

    Something missing

    What’s missing here?

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Mirror, mirror are you there?

    Can you hear me, are you still there

    Are you death to the ear or you sleep to the day to be waken by night

    Where you roam freely

    Mirror, mirror

    It’s getting cold from the day of loneliness

    Rushing to reckoning the night away

    Reckoning,

    Damaging my face with every blow

    Given

    Mirror, mirror

    It’s winter to the summer breeze

    Feel the cold air hit you

    Mind blowing ain’t it

    How long you going to let me bleed tears of fire

    Burning twisting in cyclone of flames touching the stars

    Mirror, mirror

    I slay demon and laugh at fear straight up

    Laughing

    Mirror, mirror

    Why do I pretend to smile?

    When I know it kills me

    Lend me your smile for a day

    And that I will smile till the sun cry out

    Mirror, mirror

    Borrow me your happiness

    Borrow me that sun that shine over you

    While I borrow you my rain of could that lurking over me

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About Claudia Kittock

Claudia is a resident of the Mill District. In addition to writing for Mill City Times, she is a founding Board Member of Friends of the Mill District. Claudia is the author of Health Through Chaos, mentors young adults at YouthLink, and has served on the Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association (DMNA).

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Contact: claudia@millcitymedia.org