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My Mirror
My mirror does not define me:
Not the stranger that looks back at me
Not the smooth face that belongs to someone else
Not the eyes that gleam with sadness
When I look for him and can only see her.
My body does not define me:
Not the slim shoulders that will not change
Not the hips that give me away
Not the chest I can't stand to look at
When I look for him and can only see her.
My clothes do not define me:
Not the shirt and the jeans
That would look so perfect on him
But that I know would never fit me
When I look for him and can only find her.
And I've been looking for him for years,
But I seem to grow farther away from him
With each passing day.
He's trapped inside this body,
Wrapped in society's chains
That keep him from escaping.
But one day I will break those chains.
One day I will set him free.
And I'll finally look in the mirror
And see me--
The boy I was always meant to be.
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This poem was written by my son, age 14, who died by suicide on May 19th. He was transgender, and he faced a lot of discrimination. We subscribe to Teen Ink, and it was Kyler's intention to submit the poem for publication, but he died before he ever got the chance. He was fully supported in his transgender identity by our family, but he still faced discrimination out in the world. I would love to honor him by publishing his beautiful poem posthumously. I would want his name attached, but it's up to you as to whether or not you want to say it is published posthumously. Thank you for your consideration. It's truly a beautiful poem, and I wish he'd had the chance to see it in print.