“The Girl On the Other Side,” A spoken word poem

Izzy Lala performing her poem at Joe Montoya's poetry unplugged, Sacramento (2023)

The Girl On the Other Side

A spoken word poem

I never really liked her…

she on the other side with tainted eyes

glazed over with a layer of alcohol

to disguise her tears…

in the bathroom she stood in front of me

with a red top and tight jeans to show a thin figure

and other things…

but I dared not to look into her eyes

who is this girl on the other side

why does she hide from me?

she is the reflection I’d rather not see-

shame, guilt-

maybe

for leaving her behind to chase men and things

that never cared about a girl in a bathroom

alone with white walls

you know they’d never tell-

secrets we keep to ourselves -

but she knows…

it is the mirror I feared, the glass I just couldn’t see past

that reflection -

of imperfection…

she noticed every one of my flaws

beneath this layer of tingly sensation

was a girl afraid…

afraid of every eye that might look her way

but it was the eye on the other side that kept me ashamed

that look of knowing that every time you make a mistake

she was there to heap the blame

so I tried not to look up, I tried not to expose my hidden truths-

because eyes are the windows to the soul you see

and if I didn’t see through then I didn’t have to face -

the girl on the other side.

Izzy Lala