Through the Looking Glass

What is it you see

When you claim

To be looking 

At me?

Will you insist

I am 

the

 drought 

famine

poverty

Reflected

In your cold stare

Through eyes

That evade

The contents

of

Your own soul

To be sure

Your's might well

Be the shaft of light

That illuminates 

for me

The dark recesses

&

Corridors within 

That lay

Beyond my awareness

Or my current

Readiness 

To assume ownership

Of those facets

Of my humanity

I've needed 

To seek beyond

My own story

That I could 

Begin to see

Closer to the truth

If you are particularly

Attached to 

Your lens

on the world

The view 

You perceive

Which would include

Any assessment 

of me

Would necessarily

Be defined

By your story

Nobody writes

My story

But me

You might 

Be invited to 

Provide a contribution 

To the story

You may 

Be invited to 

Provide a perspective

On my story

Uninvited assessments

Are renounced

and not taken

To heart

Though they 

Might be examined

And sifted to 

Determine 

Any useful truth

 for my

Evolution

Reflections

Can serve 

As a useful measure

For self awareness

Comparison

To others

Or expectations

Of another

Based on their

Own story

Not as useful 

"Be the change"

Will occur

When each

Based on self-reflections

Determines where

And in what way

They could 

 contribute

To

A better world

And 

Reflecting that change

R. O'Neill (September 23, 2017)