Coated in Layers of Metal and Paint

By Siha Park

Carved into my body are intricate shapes
Edges coated in liquid gold
Beauty caused by a single blade

Two faces, one hidden against the wall
There will always be an angle you choose to hide from
In another lifetime, another life will see me
What they see,  a face they wear daily
Coated in layers of metal and paint
Disguised as a tool to show your face 
The world I see will never depict reality
A reflecting surface seems to shine from below
Cold as the sheets of ice, it shows the world in a different view
Small and insignificant, it stands tall and proud 
“Mirror mirror on the wall,” they say, but all I see is insecurity
One day you’ll stand in front of me, demanding what I see
But can’t you see? 
The world I see will never depict reality

Siha Park is a high school student who writes poetry rooted in observation and memory. Her work often revisits ordinary moments and examines how attention shapes experience. She is currently developing her voice through independent writing and workshop-based study.