“Ghosts” — Pride Month Poem === (Breakdown at bottom) === The reflection in the mirror It shows your true self Yet the glass is often clouded With a mysterious haze of doubt I feel I see ghosts Bending the glass before me Trying to reshape me Alter who I see It's painful when person in the mirror Isn't them but instead is he Isn't them but instead is she I know who I am The face I should see But instead the ghosts cry Reshaping me Telling me what I see Simply isn't me Not who I'm supposed to be But I know me Yet it can feel so heavy That haze in the mirror The burning doubt in my eyes The ghosts in the mirror Telling me lies They yell and they scream Trying to bend me But they cannot see me for who I truly am Maybe I'm the ghost in the mirror That no one can see Invisible to the world Misunderstood But I am no ghost I know who I see Who I am Who I'm meant to be Your rules and lies Though sometimes tempting They're all dead All but ghosts to me They may linger and scream And try to bend the reflection I see before me But I know who I am The face that I see I see them before me Them Me === Breakdown: This poem is a bit of a personal reflection of what it can be like being Non-Binary, and I feel, sadly, many may relate to this poem. This poem has metaphors that can be interpreted in different ways. The ghosts in the mirror can represent society, which often still forces people to conform to being either male or female, which can create this looming feeling, this haze of doubt, that perhaps society is right, and you're not... The ghosts may also represent the norms, roles, and expectations set by the world, creating this lingering feeling of when you thought you were cisgender and accepted these norms, roles, and expectations assigned to you. However way you may view it, perhaps beyond these, the ghosts represent this feeling that lingers with you as a Non-Binary person. Whether it's self-doubt or societal or familial expectations, you sometimes may find yourself facing these ghosts. No matter what, though, you are who you are, and you are absolutely valid. Whatever your ghosts are, see yourself. You know who you are, who the person in the mirror truly is. You are not a ghost, don't hide and be invisible to the world, don't let your ghosts get to you. #Pride
