The glassy shell of you
black molten basalt
flinty brittle and bright
in the heat of the sun
the glittering armor
the trap of the hypnotic reflection
they gaze in the mirrored you
and believe themselves beautiful.
But every surface has cracks
hairline fractures accumulate
with the years of wear
the shock of dull malice
the erosion of banal greed
and pressure of gnawing demand
to be lovely and be loved.
It’s an intricate map
of disappointments
in the basic goodness of humanity.
And between the fractures
I see the light that pours out
of you.
*listening to ‘Parade’ by Magazine* Title stolen from the lyric.
To navigate existence, we need the sharp, the glaring, the piquant, coupled with the grinding, deadening rote, to inspire our essence to take notice and seek another.