Doppleganger.

by Poet on the Piano   Nov 5, 2013


Reflection is an enigmatic concept;
a 15 by 30 mirror frames my figure
as I try to staple skin like its scattered
papers from years of surviving.

My eyelids flutter, there is no mirror.
I am staring at a concrete person (you)
and physically, we are the same,
tawny hair gasping and untrimmed
eyebrows fraying in all directions.

Self-help books always encouraged
me to never run away from life,
that there were no escape routes
or gates to track. Life was eminent.

But tonight, the air is thick, greasing
over my mind like oil that tries to
sing before anyone notices what has
left the cans and entered their system.

I pack nothing for it is enough work
to make sure each breath is uninterrupted,
natural, believable.

Spring still welcomes sins as I shrug at
morning's dew and shake off what has
begun to train me. You never mentioned
that sins could be personified.

Vision tilts. Film tears. Am I living?
Or is my story a cassette replayed over
by shades of your abiding presence?

I sink to the earth, is this my resting place?
My neck strains upward. My eyes meet yours.
There is no glass reflecting these hollow irises.
I gargle words while my thoughts
call out uselessly.

Sound drums. I shudder and feel the rush of nature
invading a body I do not own....

"get out alive".

And not one human resides on earth
to remind me these are just tedious voices,
overtaking the life I despised.

-
Written 11/04/13 @ 10:50 PM
Watched some short horror films today then am now listening to a song "Get Out Alive" by Three Days Grace. Wanted to write something darker... originally was going to start a storyline with this character but wanted to challenge myself to write a poem.

2


Did You Like This Poem?

Latest Comments

  • 10 years ago

    by Everlasting

    Haha... ^ I never heard someone say "Mindfreak people" before, but true, I'm still coming back to the poem and I can't dechiper if he was dead or if he is the doppelganger. I'm reading through Hannah's comment and I love her excitement.

    Though, last night I had a dream...

    I think it was my doppelganger stalking me in the mirror, see even in my dreams I was thinking about the poem.

    Well, hmmm... I think the guy killed himself and he is dead and so he is reflecting( thinking ) in the mirror of his life..

    ah, I think the poem is vague but a vague that me likes.

    --- invading a body I do not own... <--- that line keeps circling in my head.

    So it's not his body. I'll be back tomorrow, don't tell me what it is. I'll re-read the poem and the comments with more calm.

  • 10 years ago

    by Hannah Lizette

    Same here as Luce, I didn't hear of Doppleganger until The Vampire Diaries! It's crazy and completely creepy to think that we have a twin somewhere in the world! But I've also heard that even if we did see ourselves that we wouldn't recognize ourselves because we see ourselves differently than how other people see us. I hope that makes sense to you because I mean, it does in my head but that doesn't mean it does to anyone else! lol Anyway, I'm off track...

    First stanza: What an opening! It certainly draws the reader in to want to read more and understand this person... why is their reflection so mysterious? Why do they feel like they need staples to hold their skin? Do they feel torn and broken or do they just feel ugly...and feel like maybe they need plastic surgery to make themselves feel beautiful.

    Second stanza: Interesting. There is no mirror, no reflection, so therefore you aren't looking at yourself in a mirror but you are in real life, your doppleganger.

    Third stanza: You've always been told to never run away from your problems, to stand your ground and take whatever is thrown your way... but seeing this person has made you want to turn around and never look back.

    Fourth stanza: The uneasiness has set in, your afraid, why is this person here? Most importantly, who is this person staring at you across the way? I really like your imagery here with the oil! Very clever metaphor.

    Fifth stanza: You continue to try to calm yourself. It's the only thing you can do at this moment. I can imagine you trying to reassure yourself in your mind..."don't freak out, don't freak out."

    Sixth stanza: I'm not really sure what this stanza signifies. I assume death were it talks about sins... and also because like Luce mentioned, the myth that if you do see your doppleganger it means that you will die.

    I LOVE "You never mentioned
    that sins could be personified." Beautiful line!

    Seventh stanza: Your life is fading... or maybe this is just a metaphor for dying... maybe you are pondering on your life, thinking it has no meaning and that you should be experiencing more of it. You are worried now about seeing this person because it does signal death and that now you think of all the things you should have done differently.

    Sorry I'm rambling! I get ideas that pop into my head as I type so they just all jumble together. I hope I'm making sense, I'm just trying to slither my way into your head and find out your true meaning behind this. :)

    Eighth stanza: Death is here and is standing over you, I'm assuming that maybe your doppleganger is the killer (or metaphorical killer).
    I love the mention of the mirror again, no glass reflecting at all.. so it's real.

    Ending: I love how you included the song and the "sound drums"... that is awesome! It's like a movie, you hear the music right when the interesting parts are happening!

    So, I'm trying to make sense of the ending. Maybe all in all, you are the doppleganger and you kill "you"... so there is no one else on earth to remind you that your crazy. I think I'm overthinking this...

    Anyway, I LOVE THIS and it's completely dramatic and dark and has the power to mindfreak people, lol.

    Nominated, dear! <3

  • 10 years ago

    by Everlasting

    The first time I heard the term "doppelganger" was when I watched the Vampire Diaries. I thought it was just a made up thing. But it is believe that somewhere on earth there are people that look exactly like us. And when I think about it, it would be freaky if I ever stumbled with someone that looked like me. lol I wouldn't know whether to smile or stared at them not believing what I am seeing.

    The beginning of the poem got my complete attention. Though, towards the middle I became confused. But what I understood was that someone was "apparently" reflecting on a mirror but turns out there was no mirror. It was the doppelganger. It was someone that looked exactly like him? I am not sure but I couldnt' figure out if it was a girl or a guy. I should have thought of a girl as in the poem, it has a reference of " I am staring at a concrete person ( You)" and I am a girl.... But for some reason I kept picturing a guy.

    Anywho, then this someone tries to not run away from life. hmm so in the end, this someone ends up running for his life, to stay alive. Which reminded me that people say that if you meet your doppelganger, it could also mean death. So I have to go back and re-read a couple of more times, I know I am miss reading something. But the beginning stanza is dark. Stapling skin. Somehow I believe the ending and the beginning ties down together.