I See Myself
written by: Nick Allison
I see myself
in the old woman
at the next table in the café.
Her face carved with worry and wisdom,
her hand quivers
as she stirs her coffee.
I see myself
in the angry teen at the bus stop,
his daily journey to anxiety.
Oily skin branded
with acne and angst,
a crossroads of ambition
and uncertainty.
I see myself
in the young mother,
cradling an infant
in her protective embrace.
A fierce sentinel,
a boundless love,
a longing to nurture
and shield.
I see myself
in the soft cheeks
of that child
nestled
safely in his mother’s arms.
A bundle of promise,
feeling only raw emotion,
a life anchored
in the present.
I see myself
in the homeless veteran,
body marred by war,
soul weighted with sorrow.
A tin cup, a cardboard sign,
a quiet plea,
pressing onward
toward another sunrise.
I see myself
in the prostitute,
existence narrowed
to a series of scores.
Track-marked arms,
and willing smile
betrayed by eyes
of deep despair.
I see myself in you—
for I am you, and you are I.
Divided by time, shaped by fate,
alone, yet entwined
in our brief existence,
woven by the thread
of our shared humanity.
- I See Myself - December 6, 2024
- Pretty Things - February 12, 2024
