The Ugly Duckling

She would stare at the mirror
without blinking
sighing
frustrated
uttering words of hate
at the reflection glaring back at her

The lips just too big
the skin way too dark
"why did God make me this way
how can I go out like this"
her cries confused me

To me
she was simply lovely
but each day her words
chipped away at her beauty
distorted my minds eye
making full lips
a source of shame
high cheekbones
a source of pity
dark skin
a mask of pain

I listened
as self hate
oozed from her lips
like neverending venom
and, as I grew
my reflection
became so similar to hers
I barely glanced at the mirror
my heart broken by
the hideous creature
the unloveable monster
the fat, ugly duckling
that stared back at me

wondering why
God had made me this way
cursed me with this face
jinxed me with this skin...