A Plain Fact (poem) by John Herlihy on AuthorsDen

A Plain Fact
by John Herlihy → (All Poetry by John Herlihy)
Saturday, February 2, 2019 Rated "G" by the Author.

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-- A Plain Fact -- By John Herlihy I looked into the mirror, Realized it must be me. No one standing around, Simply no one else to see. There just looking back, Peering out on the sly. The image a plain fact, The shadow couldn’t deny. An infant looks in the mirror, Pure bliss is what she sees. The wide eyes questioning, The smile as gentle as breeze. The baboon seen in the glass, Both light and shadow dumb. He just sits there in the grass, Looking mystified and glum. A butterfly passes a windowpane, Each image sees equal beauty. And yet they are not the same, One of them goes about its duty. Illusions do surround us, Their mystique has their hold. Their shiny mirror beguiles us, We hear their message told. Our illusions belie plain fact, They creep up on the sly. They try to make an impact, And succeed only if we comply. I looked again in the bright mirror, The vision there was another version. I could keep looking there forever, In plain fact, I am still the same person. - - - - - - (c) John Herlihy 29 September 2018

Reviewed by Jms Bell

Reviewed on February 11, 2019

INDEED...WE SEE WHAT APPEARS TO BE US BUT IT'S ONLY A DECAYING MASK WHICH COVERS THE...REAL US. THE REAL US, THE SPIRIT, IS STILL JUST AS IT WAS WHEN WE WERE FIRST BORN, BUT THE 'HOUSE THAT IT LIVES IN'...IS CERTAINLY NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE! AND THAT'S A PLAIN FACT. LOVED IT...THANKS FOR SHARING! LOVE, BLESSINGS AND FAITH...JOYCE * HIS INSPIRATIONS

Reviewed by Susanne Leist

Reviewed on February 7, 2019

The mirror tells no lies.

Reviewed by Jane Noponen Perinacci

Reviewed on February 4, 2019

Let us not forget the dog in "Aesop's Fables" who saw his reflection in a pond. It was his reflection but he lost the bone he was gripping in his teeth in order to obtain the bone he saw in the reflection. Could we gaze too much at the illusion we see in a mirror just to lose ourselves? I enjoyed this tremendously, John!

Love ya!

Jane

Reviewed by Jerry Bolton

Reviewed on February 2, 2019

Ahhh . . . You cannot fool the man staring back atcha.

Reviewed by Odin odin@aflx.com

A clever and astute look at the malady impacting most of society today: illusions. Well penned. Thank you.

Reviewed by Ronald Hull

Very philosophical. A lot can be made from the image one sees in the mirror. When you are alluding to animals and butterflies, I thought of the birds, who, almost daily, slam into my large windows in the back of the house, thinking they are joining other birds in flight when they see their own image reflected. Fortunately, only occasionally do they strike so hard that they die or are incapacitated for the local cats to find them.

Ron

Reviewed by E Phillips

The mirror is not nearly as revealing as the "selfie" and all its ramifications. But the mirror will hold many fascinations for the animal kingdom long after the iphone is gone. Interesting interpretation of an old subject.