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Passage (Part II)

The skin grows things
When you're not paying attention.
You expected the loss of collagen,
And maybe accept it,
But the tiny silver cactus needles,
That emerged beneath your eye overnight,
Those weren't in the manual.
This is your right eye,
The eye with the crows feet.
The mole just below
Your right orbital rim
Was never without a most stubborn and persistent
Stiff black hair.
Only the two white ones are new.
This is your right side.
This was never your good side.
The left side has the dimple
And smooth eye.
The pores on the left
Aren't as clogged.
The left side was always your good side,
Now, it is your young side.
You can tell by the eyebrow ring scars.
You didn't expect your freckles to join,
Forming age spots.
You didn't expect to see them all over your body.
You expected your breasts and buttocks to sag,
But were mesmerized
When you first noticed that gravity
Has the same effect on your abdomen and thighs
When you lean over just a bit too far.
You were mesmerized
By how that posture rendered your belly conical.
This wasn't in the manual either.
None of this was here yesterday.
Stare into the mirror long enough
And it all goes away.

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