Against the Wall, and: Mirrors

Abstract

Against the Wall, and: Mirrors Neal Zirn (bio) Against the Wall The wall has its own way of resisting. Father, as if he were a boxer in a ringmade of shade and shadow, hits the wallonce, twice, three times, as mother,shrill and loud, taunts him from the kitchen. Eventually, bone shatters, pain is electric,silence ensues, and father returns homewith his hand in a cast, not once, not twice,but three times, as entropy sets in regardingattitude and the lack of any type of reason. It leads me, as I grow from a child into a teen,to want to break things, like bottles, windows,rules, and promises; anything but my own hand, while something raw develops in meand runs wild through my veins, and burns,and hurts, and has teeth with the ability to ripand tear without a hint of mercy or forgiveness. And so, father, is this my inheritance?Is that you outside my door, feeling the needto share the wall that has risen up between us? [End Page 176] Mirrors Inside a mirror lives a reflection.It doesn't evaluate, discriminate,judge, or dismiss. It just is,like the back of your handor the flowers of the field. When I was a young boy,my father would take meto the barbershop whereyou could still get a shavewith a straight razor,and after your cuthave your hair pasted down,like string, with pomade. There was a mirror in front of you,and one behind you attachedto the wall. You could see each,duplicated in the other, on and oninto infinity. It presented a mystery,a magic trick without an answerto how it was done. Worlds within worlds, I thought.A boy's imagination on the natureof being. Everything containedin the blink of an eye. [End Page 177] Neal Zirn neal zirn has been published in numerous journals in the United States and Canada. He is an award-winning poet, painter, and printmaker as well as a dedicated tai chi practitioner. Copyright © 2023 University of North Dakota