Member-only story
Lines
on seeing yourself
In the past few days I’ve paid attention
to the lines drawn in my forehead
the creases around my mouth
my dry lips my old eyes my
sandpaper skin
the story wrinkles that corner my
muddy eyes
the way the folds above them
fold into the folds
above them fold into
the folds
above
them
I have had a mirror above my bathroom
sink since as long as I can remember
bathrooms or sinks
or brushing my teeth and
yet my morning routine is a
fast scramble to add moisture
add defining darkness to
brighten eyes
to smooth skin and
to present in
public like I know
I can
So I seldom stare into my own eyes
trace the lines down my cheeks
into my neck and shoulders
number my freckles or scars
name the constellations they create
this slow down during
pandemic causes me to imagine
my own face
in…
