Where Have I Gone?

 

Where have I gone?
I don’t see me
when I look
into the mirror…

Just some woman
who spent
too much time
in the sun
at the buffet
by the clearance racks.

The woman
I was never
going to become
greets me now
in the morning
in the evening
in the funhouse mirror
of the elevator.

She smirks and
sucks in a breath
and seraches for mints
in the bottom
of her purse.

She mutters at the
moronic actions of youth
worries about
bills, bulges and gums.

Who is she?
And
What has she done with me?

Copyright 2007

21 thoughts on “Where Have I Gone?

  1. I really like the poem. I think you did an excellent job writing it, and also an excellent job with what it is you’re trying to say. I think we all feel this way sometimes– like, “WHO is that person in the mirror?”
    But.
    I think you’re fabulous. Maybe I should mail you some vanilla ice cream, which doesn’t solve anything, but it makes people smile most of the time. (Unless your lactose intolerant..then I’ll have to send something else.)
    Mckenzie

    Thanks, Kenz. Sure, send the ice cream. I scream, we all scream, for ice cream. 😉
    WC

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  2. I’ve never read a poem by you WC. I like this one. I think it is relateable in so many ways to so many people. Let me know if you find the answer to that question there at the end? But then again if you did find the answer, you’d be able to make millions off of all of us women-so then you’d be a millionaire and probably wouldn’t have time to get back to the likes of ol’ anabel. great poem. it’s one of the best i’ve read in awhile. thanks for posting it. as

    Hey Anabel,
    Thanks, glad you liked it. Also like that future millionairess future you made up for me. I’ll take that too. 😉
    WC

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  3. This poem feels like being in my thirties-
    my second adolescence- during which nothing fits right, i am short of breath, no one makes any “real” music anymore like when I was younger, i hear my mother coming from my mouth and my daughters ask me if there were cars when i was a kid. Cars!
    This poem is humorous, but also a little sad. It’s sad to see ourselves different than we dreamed. But you know what? You’re still awesome. You’re a smart writer, a good and much appreciated reader and insightful. And THAT is a good place to be.
    ~christine

    LOL – your daughters really asked you if there were cars when you were a kid? What have they been watching? 😆

    Yeah, it was meant to be humorous, me poking fun at myself because if I don’t do it, somebody else will. 😉

    Thanks for the nice words, much appreciated and the feeling is mutual, Christine.
    Annie

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  4. Great poem. Reminds me of what the marble sculptor said when asked how he sculpted a horse.
    He said he carved off all the parts that don’t look like a horse.
    (Don’t try this at home.)

    Wow, if only I could get a sculpture to carve away the parts that don’t look like me – that would be tres’ cool, Ben. I think I’ll check monster.com for that. 😉
    WC

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  5. They also asked me if R. and i had cd’s. We didn’t. Man! i grew up with 8-tracks and Mork&Mindy suspenders.
    i just want to be forty already!

    Yes, we were so deprived as children – sad isn’t it? Nanoo, nanoo? 😉
    WC

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  6. ha! I see myself in this one. Funny stuff there. More more more!

    Oh Red,
    You’re just an old soul. 🙂
    WC

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  7. WC,
    I answered your question in your comment on my blog. Hope you see it!

    I just saw it, Lolly. I will check his site soon.
    WC

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  8. Hi WC,
    Oh 50s woman,
    where have you been?
    The dream of my youth,
    now an icon of sin!
    A day at the office,
    is Hell, there’s no doubt,
    but when I come home to you,
    the Demons run out.
    A martini is shaken,
    before I walk through the door,
    and if the day was a bitch,
    you’ll pour several more!
    Dinner is waiting,
    to be served at my whim,
    and despite all the children,
    you’ve remained mighty slim.
    While you have no worries,
    you still ease all my cares,
    and I for my part
    will love you forever.
    the Grit

    *applause* Very nicely done, Grit. Next!
    WC

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  9. I wrote something very similar to this many years ago…..very nicely done!
    Kelly

    But you are but a young woman – how could you have written something like this many years ago? I must see this one.
    WC

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  10. This was profound… I did not see any humour in it!
    🙂
    Ra.

    Hey Ra,
    Welcome to my little dive. Profound, you say? Who of thunk it? Not, I. 😉

    Hope to see you again.

    WC

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  11. I am 31, going to be 32 this October and the poem made me :-(…
    TOTALL IDENTIFICATION!!!
    Though the gender and local were alien…
    Keep the good work of holding up the MIRROR!
    Ra.
    Oh, I’m sorry Ra! Really, it was just supposed to make fun of what we all do I guess. After all, being young and beautiful isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. You have to fight off admirers, and turn down all those free drinks at bars and your phone rings all hours of the night, plus you have shave, pluck, wax and wriggle into tiny clothes that only a Barbie doll should be wearing – and oy, don’t get me started on the high heels…. 😆
    WC

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  12. Are we all going to hell in a handbag? Ha! Ha! Ha! Does anyone look in the mirror and say, “Look’n Good!” Is anyone truly happy with themselves? I want to meet that skinny bitch! Very nice poem. Kinda sad though….. I can relate!

    Yeah, I want to meet that skinny bitch too. LOL.
    WC

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  13. Hi WC,
    Thanks. I’m always open to a poetry challenge. We had that on our old blog, but no one bothered with it. So, any time you feel the need for a rhyme down, say the word 😉
    the Grit

    Hi Grit,
    A rhyme down sounds kind of fun. I had this really silly thought that I may post after all. See if I can get some reader participation going. Stay tuned.
    WC

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  14. You don’t think that by hiding away we won’t notice that you’ll be hitting 50’000 any time now?!?!
    Since we missed the last big number, I wan’t to be first to scream CONGRAAAAAAAAAAAAAATS.
    Wow.
    🙂
    You rock.
    But then you know that.

    Hey Spaz,
    Naw, I’m not hiding, just took a couple of days to chill out. Yep, it looks like 50K is looming large, eh? Who’d a thunk it? Not I. In fact, I keep asking myself, why do all these people come here and read this silly stuff? I still can’t figure it out.

    Thanks for the pre-congrats. You rock girl.
    WC

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  15. Your poem is so universal. I loved it. When my mom was in her early seventies she told me that when she looked in the mirror she would wonder who that old lady was looking back at her. As time slips by I think we all increasingly feel that way. And some feel that way at any age. Guess you just don’t always look how you feel. Your poem nailed it, very nicely expressed too.
    ~ Popsgirl

    Hey PG!
    How’s it going? I remember you telling me that story. I guess it could be a universal thing – and I think with us boomers it’s probably worse. 😉
    WC

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