Inside This Skin

Who I am
Inside this skin
Is nothing like
You think

Who can define
My heart’s intent?
The way I feel,
The direction I went?

Who can say
That I don’t hurt
Or perhaps, that I
Know naught...

Can you tell
By looking at me,
The places I’ve been,
The beauty I’ve seen?

You cannot see
The memories I’ve had,
Long lost loves,
How wistful, how sad...

Do you know
How I’ve loved,
The tastes I’ve tried,
The tears I’ve cried?

No, your vision
Has a cataract,
A foggy reflection
In a mirror that’s cracked

Look deeper
Past my skin,
To my heart,
To what lies within.

Kira Braun