“Shattered Mirror, Broken Piece”

By: Tamara Black

A Message from the Author: This is a poem I wrote in response to the very first time I was told that it would be nearly impossible to conceive a child, for not only me, but my husband as well. 

“shattered mirror, broken piece”

Shattered mirror, broken pieces 

I sat there, speechless 

Clueless and confused

I tried to hear your words

As you snatched my mirror away

Threw it to the ground 

I watched each piece shatter

All my hopes, my dreams

My plans and my desires

Each broken piece I tried to gather

I can’t lose you, talking to my hope

I held on tight

No matter how bad it hurt

Bleeding, pleading, don’t drop a single sliver

Each piece stabbing so deep

How do I hold something so painful so tight

I can’t, it hurts, each piece stabs, hurting most at night 

But if I drop it and let go

There goes all faith, no more hope

So instead I cling tight

Bleeding fingers, aching heart

I dare not let you go

But God, it hurts to hold 

Tear after tear 

Screaming, crying 

But slowly, I feel like my heart is dying 

Living a nightmare that just won’t end 

Now, I stare at you

Scattered across the floor 

Trying to look into a mirror 

That once held hopes, dreams, and excitement 

I see each broken piece

Trying to glue it back together 

But mirror is no more

Hope, gone

Shattered mirror, broken pieces

You’ve robbed me of my dreams

No more hope

no more plans

How beautiful it once was to stare into your eyes and imagine 

Now there’s nothing but sharp edges 

bloody scars left by your shatter