Through the Looking Glass

She discovered that the path she had been travelling

Would no longer be a safe way home

Shards of glass threatened to pierce her through the heart

And pieces of what appeared to be a golden frame

Lay stagnant in the muck and the mire of the desolate road

She clutched what was left of the tattered pieces of clothing that surrounded her

And braced herself for a brighter tomorrow filled with promises of hope

Her ashen face was painted with the grime and filth from her travels

And her tiny hands shook as she decided to move forward…

Step by step, one foot in front of the other, she walked

Faintly, at first, with blood and tears that streamed down her soiled image

Those who could help, walked idly by, some laughed and some whispered

“Desolate creature,” they called her, one who walked boldly yet alone

Not one soul tried to see that she struggled because she carried herself with grace

Though outwardly, she appeared to be shaken by a heightened battle

Inwardly was a strength that could be seen deep within the eyes of her soul….

Stepping forward, turning from the mockers and those who would jeer,

She began to pick up the pieces of the glass…

In them, she could see her reflection and with each piece, there was a flash

Of a distant memory that threatened to kill her spirit.

She continued to piece these jagged shards until they, together formed an image…

With a gasp, she peered into her reflection and what she saw nearly took her breath away…

A lone tear fell from her eyes and the glass became like new

Standing in front of herself, she took one step forward, into her future.

You see, the pieces that threatened to kill her were what brought her to her future…

She walked through the looking glass, brand new, whole, revived,

And those who saw her, those who laughed and mocked, bowed in awe at the beauty that lay before them

The true beauty that always was seen within the recesses of her soul

But now shone through her like a ray of light.