These eyes,
Peering out of the mirror,
I can hardly stand to look at them.
The bright red veins,
And reaching shadow,
That begins with an unnatural purple,
And morphs to grey,
The kind of grey describable by only one word:

Lifeless.

These eyes contain a visual record,
Of a year long struggle.
The days of over exertion,
And the sleepless nights,
Compound the woes of insignificant man.
These eyes betray a body that’s dying,
Without ever having permission.
I see every pain,
Every stressed joint,
In this human mechanism,
Threatening more irreparable harm.

Like many before me,
I cup the flowing water in my hands,
And splash it upon my face.
As the drops fall down,
I finally understand why we perform this ritual;
To blind us to reflection.