The Guy In The Mirror Poem by EZEKIEL HARUNA DANBAKI

They said it is over now
Because the guy in the mirror is weak and broken
They said it is finished
Now that he is frighten. And...
Wait a minute,
Don't smudge that mirror
Keep it clean and shiny
There is hope and inspiration with the guy in there
.
You buried your head in your hands
When you were called the dunce in the group
You grew up believing no one will like you
No one will fall in love with you
No one will bring sunshine into your gloom
You felt the dampness of depression and the cold hug of loneliness
At night, while others slept
You kept vigils, trying to lick the wounded part of yourself to heal
You were sad, but couldn't cry aloud, because the bullies and the clowns kept cramming around you
They said you wouldn't go far
Because your background sound isn't loud enough
You have to believe they are wrong
They have to be wrong
Else, why do we do what we do?
We must not fail the guy in the mirror
So we have learned never to give up
Despite everyone who told us to quit
They said we are not the best- not even among the worsts
But we didn't see ourselves in those words
We planted our roots firmly in the belief that
We are not pawns on the chessboards of planet earth!
.
There is something unique about who we are
If you are not sure you can do better
I suggest you go to the mirror stand again
Look in there
Look closer
Stare a little longer
Now you see where hope and inspiration has been hiding
There is something in you that makes you want to try again
Hope is that thing with wings to soar and fly
And faith is foresight
So the man of hope slides down the rainbow of life
He gets up, dusts off, and rides again
And can say it loud
It is over now
That we are proud drop-outs from the class of mediocrity
it is over now
That we finally have decided to smash all the small things we thought we are
All these things are miles behind who we really are
Not even the loudest echoes of condemnation can stop the supersonic speed with which we now run
To a life of less sorrow and pain
To a life of much beauty