Poetry by Rosei Simpson ⋆ Eve Poetry ⋆ Eve Poetry Magazine

The Other Side of the Mirror Never Smiles

By Rosei Simpson

I told you to smile when I saw you cry, and you did, 
not because you liked me, 
nor because you listened to me, 
but because you knew I understood what it feels like to be half dead.

Life in reality without life itself is the same as being alive 
but not knowing who you are.

I love the smell of the ocean but I hate the beach. 

The sand on my feet reminds me 
I’m alive and I can’t hide.

I told you to smile.

People say eyes tell a thousand stories but yours just hold lies.

When I see you I’m reminded of the overwhelming feeling of drowning. 

Maybe that’s why I hate the beach, 
or maybe it just reminds me of when I finally learned to swim 
and no longer felt the sensation of my own emotions, 
the drowning feeling I felt when they took their spot at the head of the table 
and led the night with fake smiles and laughter, 
the pain in my heart holds disaster but I’ve learned to live with it.

I’ve learned to love it.

The Sand on my feet reminds me that this is the reality 
and for now I have to live with it.

So I told you to smile.

I leave you trapped in the mirror so I can try to live freely, but whenever I see you, 
I see me.

Rosei Simpson

She goes by her my middle name, Rose, but prefers to be called Rosei. Born in Guatemala City, she was adopted and brought to the island of St. Croix USVI. She was raised on St. Croix and visits Guatemala every summer. Rosei’s other hobbies include playing tennis and volleyball, and reading. At school, she played on the JV tennis and volleyball teams. Her day job is actually a night job where she works as a busser at a restaurant called The Bombay Club.
Rosei’s writing focus is poetry, although, she does write short stories and journalism-style pieces too. Rosei intends to go into creative writing as her major in college. She doesn’t currently have a book published but she has works published on Wattpad, Prose, and a zine (mini magazine filled with her poetry and various artists art). Rosei’s school has a Literary art journal which has published some of her work.
You can follow Rosei on Instagram: @spokenspeakss

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