Poetry Book

Eyeglasses

I am in a cozy little room
With a fine oak table
And a row of eyeglasses
Lined on top of it
There is a mirror before me
No one else is in the room
I can only hear a faint song playing
It is a pleasant, but unrecognizable tune
Realizing I can't see very well,
I reach for the first pair of glasses
And I look up at myself in the mirror

I remember these glasses somehow
But I don't know who they belong to
I begin to notice a relaxed, happy feeling
It rises inside me suddenly
But I accept it
It is a friendly emotion
It dances in my mind
Sending laughter through my body
And reminding me of joyful late nights
Speaking with my favorite people
Joking around until we peacefully drift to sleep

I curiously switch to the second pair of glasses
The reaction this time
Resonates deeper within me
As if it is a more difficult emotion to stomach
I feel guilt and sadness
Disappointment and desperation
My heart drops to the floor
A lump forms in my throat
And a single soft tear rolls down my cheek
I briskly brush the drop away
Removing the glasses from my face

Trying on the next pair
I am reinvigorated and sparkling
An overwhelming sensation wraps its arms around me
Pride and elation have me soaring
I feel a unique love I've never known
I want to laugh, cry, squeal, and jump
Everything at once
But there is also an underlying pity
Accompanied by responsibility
A need to protect
I finally take them off

The penultimate pair feels unexpected
Thrilling, in fact
Almost electric
My heart races, producing what has to be
A couple thousand beats per minute
My pupils grow to the size of the moon
I feel bubbles like carbonation in soda
Popping inside of my stomach
It is a warm, fuzzy feeling
That carries hope and doubt
An anxious yet satisfying feeling
The emotion dissipates as I return the glasses

Observing the final pair,
I immediately recognize the familiar frames
With them on, the image in the mirror brings
Complex feelings
A million intricate nuances to each thought
Cloud my brain
There is security that holds me in place
There is doubt that drags me along
There is worry that stabs my sides
There is bliss that fills my heart
There is an emptiness that freezes my body
But there is acceptance that keeps me sane

I cannot take the last pair off
They are forever tied to my body
I cannot swap the frames
Nor can I change the lenses
But I can clean off the fingerprints
And wipe away the dirt that obstructs my vision
A door appears in the room
I open it and walk out,
Locking it behind me