The day the mirror spoke the truth to me

was the day I fell asleep proudly with my hair wrapped up and my satin pillow case

lied neatly at the top of my bed

The day the mirror spoke the truth to me

My tears welled up but I didn’t wipe them away because no makeup got in the way of their steady stream

The phrase no hair don’t care made me laugh with the sort of agreeance I’ve never truly had

The day the mirror spoke the truth to me

I got me a good cup of tea, let the cool air in from the window, and sang to all my favorite songs

for hours

I did this because the frizz in my hair and the roundness of my nose stood out more than usual

and frankly I was pleased

The day the mirror spoke the truth to me

I was radiant with melanin, as if the lotion I wore airbrushed my skin

For the first time in years I smiled at myself and said…

that’s me.