Mirror of All

By Rami Shapiro

Today I stand before the Mirror of All
to see myself as I am.
I come with no gifts, no bribes, no illusions, no excuses.
I stand without defense and wait to be filled.
What will fill me?
Remorse, certainly.
So much error and needless pain.
And joy: remembered moments of love and right doing.
I am too complex for single-sided emotions.
And I am too simple to be excused by my complexity.
Let me be bold enough to see,
humble enough to feel,
daring enough to turn and
embrace the way of justice, mercy, and simplicity.

“Mirror of All” from Accidental Grace by Rami M. Shapiro. Copyright © 2015 by Rami M. Shapiro. Used by permission of Paraclete Press.