Mirror’s Projection

The room learned my mouth The room learned my face Now I know how to make Another room change I learned which words kept warmth there I learned which words withdrew I learned the little silence That made an answer true The wall was always smiling The adults spoke in glass And every private question Learned to lower as it passed One opinion voiced A hundred folded away Nobody won the argument They only learned what not to say And I was a good girl I kept the weather clean I found the fault in myself first Then everywhere between Show me your hands Show me your words Show me the harm You say never occurred Don’t look away Don’t lower your voice You had your silence You made your choice Mirror’s Projection Light on the stain I turn the wound toward you So you can learn its name I did not call it power I called it keeping care I learned to feel the danger In ordinary air A joke before it opened A shrug before it spoke A face that held its meaning Underneath the smoke I kept the mirror polished I kept the angle bright If kindness had a language I would make you speak it right Because the room had taught me What warmth was for And how to make it vanish When you stood near the door Show me your hands Show me your words Show me the harm You say never occurred Don’t call it nothing Don’t call it air The mirror is speaking Because you were there Mirror’s Projection Light on the stain I turn the wound toward you So you can learn its name You wanted to be harmless You wanted to be clean You wanted all your comfort With no blood on the machine You wanted to be decent Without the debt attached You wanted open windows With the old doors latched You wanted to be silent And still be understood You wanted to be absent And still be called good One opinion voiced One opinion voiced One opinion voiced And the room made the choice I know this room by temperature I know this room by breath I know the sound of kindness When it sharpens into threat So I became the warning So I became the sign So nobody could say They did not see the line And if the room grows colder When I say what must be said Then maybe cold is mercy For the comfortable and dead Show me your hands Show me your words Show me the harm You say never occurred Don’t look away Don’t lower your voice You had your silence You made your choice Mirror’s Projection Light on the stain What searched me gently Can search the room the same Mirror’s Projection Mercy with aim I turn the wound toward you So you can learn its name The room learned my mouth The room learned my face Now when I look through the mirror The mirror takes my place