Mirror Glance

Not That Sign

By Cachete C. Hird

Stop

You’re heading in a direction That will take your further Make you better Challenge your every fiber Stop

Don’t pass go In that direction You will have even more challenges They won’t ever understand

Stop

You, Afro-Latina Woman They won’t listen to you They will push you beyond measure Tell you no, you’re not a fit Stop

They will try to stop you You, amazing woman of God Bound by morals and standards Encouraged to never give up

Stop

You, expat in a strange land Constantly learning Scared for your future Still trying to find your way Stop

Wait, they can’t stop you You hold your head up high Walking confidently in the direction you achieved Never stop that stride

Cachete C Hird

North Florida Alumnae Assocation Spring 2016 IG: @cash_monet24 website: www.cashmoneywrites. blogspot.com

Mirror Glance

By Cachete C. Hird

She looks in the mirror She sees herself But does not recognize Her face

The constant fight with trying to recognize The allure of wondering who Is she looking at If it’s really her Lips

Those shining lips With her favorite shade of Selena lipstick Como La Flor The color makes her skin Her caramel brown skin seem brighter in the mirror

Yet her next glance reminds her Eyes Captivating yet hidden Dark yet sad Secrets and memories Hidden behind Making her mad

She doesn’t recognize Those eyes Looking back at her

She sees too many emotions The pain in all these things She has held hidden deep down

Dreams and imaginations Slowly gone and disappeared Fear and anxiety flood her mind When did it all arrive?

In those eyes They dance in the mirror Taunting her mind She slowly realizes she doesn’t know

Who she is anymore Pull away the fancy jewelry Wipe off the Fenty make up Who is this face that she sees? A mask of someone she wanted to be

Big brown eyes Full of hopes and dreams Curved lips from her Mother With a bright smile Dimples she is scared to show

Yet She tries to hide from all the pain

She looks in the mirror

And slowly takes in all the things she has seen Now remembers and believes No longer scared to see