I was in the process of purging my laptop the other night of old memories, and I found, among other things, a bunch of hockey photos that I never posted of CMU playing Allegheny, a Flash movie that Droo made for me one morning at 4 a.m. and turned in as a homework assignment, and a half-finished poem that I apparently started while still living in Pittsburgh. I thought any of these were random enough to make it into the blog, but since I’m in training this week and my only connection to the world is the sketchy wireless at the Park Plaza Starbucks in San Jose, I decided to post the poem only. It was three and a half stanzas long when I opened it, and I felt compelled to finish it before posting, although my original intentions when I started writing it are probably forever lost in an elapsed moment.
Unreflected Back
by J. MignoneIn my wing mirror, the brick houses pass in rows
the snow falls, the ice melts,
flowers bloom, leaves turn,
the snow falls again.In my rearview, I leave behind a life I wanted
your blue couch, your undaunted smile,
stoic resolve, passionate attack,
your closely guarded heart.I watched you trimming your beard, in the bathroom mirror
sculpting your jaw, fine shoulders raised,
steady hand, discriminating glances,
keen focus obliterates me.My father said, the world looks better in a mirror
with sharp boundaries, this version portraying
small slices, existence compacted,
life out of reach.In your dresser mirror, I see myself and your preoccupation
you run madly, in and out,
occasionally absent, often alone,
my adoration unreflected back.
