The Girl and the Mirror

A poem about how society can shape the female mind

There was a little girl
she looked into her mirror
and saw herself

She saw pigtails and a gap tooth grin
bright eyes and loving friends
her world wasn't perfect
but it was good

There was a little girl
she looked into her mirror
and saw herself

She saw puberty take hold
wider hips and a chest
she counted pounds
boys would look
her friends noticed
her world wasn't perfect

There was a little girl
she looked into her mirror
and saw herself

She saw hip bones and ribs
thick make up and a hollow smile
red and white lines covered by sleeves
a sigarette in one hand, a bottle in the other
her "friends" were no more
no one saw the change

There was a little girl
she looked into her mirror
and saw herself

She wondered what would happen
as she counted her imperfections
then the pills

There was a little girl
she looked into her mirror
and saw herself
She gazed into it as she fell asleep
and saw bright eyes and a gap tooth grin