Talking to a Ghost

For years, when I looked in the mirror, I didn’t just see myself — I saw a presence that haunted me. This piece is about facing that ghost differently, and how learning to speak with it became a way of reclaiming my own reflection.

What do you know?
You who ran away,
chasing your FOMO,
pointing the finger
away from yourself,
staring past me,
watching from a safe distance.

What do you know?
When you chose distraction
again and again,
withdrew at the first hint of discomfort,
traded every present moment
for the next.

What do you know?
When you called cowardice wisdom,
cruelty fairness,
traded vulnerability for judgment.
When you chose to damage others,
instead of softening your heart.

What do you know?
When you buried your shadow,
shrank from accountability,
excused your violence,
hid inside your lifeless rationality.

What do you know?
What is your experience worth?
What dignity can you claim?
What have you not wasted?
What is left for you to stand on?