The Truth About Tigers

I see myself

in the old woman

at the next table in the café.

Her face carved with worry and wisdom,

her hand quivers

as she stirs her coffee.

I see myself

in the angry teen at the bus stop,

his daily journey to anxiety.

Oily skin branded

with acne and angst,

a crossroads of ambition

and uncertainty.

I see myself

in the young mother,

cradling an infant

in her protective embrace.

A fierce sentinel,

a boundless love,

a longing to nurture

and shield.

I see myself

in the soft cheeks

of that child 
nestled
 safely in his mother’s arms.

A bundle of promise,

feeling only raw emotion,

a life anchored

in the present.

I see myself

in the homeless veteran,

body marred by war,

soul weighted with sorrow.

A tin cup, a cardboard sign,

a quiet plea,

pressing onward

toward another sunrise.

I see myself

in the prostitute,

existence narrowed

to a series of scores.

Track-marked arms,

and willing smile

betrayed by eyes

of deep despair.

I see myself in you—

for I am you, and you are I.

Divided by time, shaped by fate,

alone, yet entwined

in our brief existence,

woven by the thread

of our shared humanity.

This poem, I See Myself, was first published by Spillwords Press on December 6th, 2024. I am grateful to the editors for featuring my work.