By Kasie Abat
strength is a funny word
and it’s something i never looked to have
people use strength to describe everything I'm not.
whenever i stared into the mirror
i saw a piece of shrunken wrap on some old leftovers
just something that couldn't handle much
except for maybe 30 seconds of radiation
ever since i was little girl i’ve always stayed the same
scraped knees and ambitions that ended up hurting me in the long run
they tore me raw and vulnerable
seen as a spectacle to everyone around me
but i was never the type to fight back
sometimes i found myself looking around
to glance at my reflection once more
remembering the turmoil of fights i’ve never fought
ending in some words i couldn’t spell out
given i had some time to hear any of it
though most of it was spent staring back at myself
hopefully having enough strength to look away from the mirror
Kasie is a young writer based in Southern California who has been recreationally writing poetry for three
years. She started writing about experiencing the world around her, but now tends to write about her
views on the complexity of emotion and the human condition. Kasie enjoys listening to Taylor Swift and
indulging in her favorite television shows and movies. She is the editor for her school’s literary and arts
magazine. In the future, she hopes to study medicine in college, and to continue her hobby of writing in a
more serious environment.
Hot Pot Magazine 