Not Me
by Zoey Knowlton
My reflection doesn’t move like I do
I shift, touching my face
Cringing at the rough stubble
Still deep-rooted
And my reflection stares back
Sighing at my frustration
I try running a brush through my hair
Hoping to stretch
some
length
from it
Eye shadow, lipstick, mascara
My reflection is unimpressed
What will it take?
I plead with her
And my reflection
She looks me up and down
Budding breasts and softening skin
Time
She says
It will take time
***
Zoey Knowlton (she/her) is a transgender author who lives amidst the redwoods in the Pacific Northwest. By day, she works with at-risk teenagers. By night, she reads, writes, and spends time with her wife and children. As a woman in recovery and transitioning, Zoey enjoys themes of change, progress, and uncertainty in her writing.
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