paper mirror
Marcus Amaker | Poetry
when i
write my name
with my left hand,
i instantly
find him there:
6-year-old me,
looking
back through
a paper mirror
of sloppy lines,
& quirky,
anxious-looking
letters.
there’s a
6-year-old
person
in our house,
& she
has already
learned
how to
shape her name
perfectly,
how to hold
a pencil steady,
how to
notice herself
becoming herself.
& when i watch her,
i’m reminded
of the kid
inside of me,
whose handwriting
would become
his solace
in adulthood,
& who never
wrote
love letters
to himself
until he
became
a father.
maybe i
should write
this poem
with my
left hand,
just to tell myself:
you made it.
marcus amaker is an award-winning poet, musician, and graphic designer who served as Charleston’s first Poet Laureate. An Academy of American Poets fellow, he has published 12 books and over 45 electronic music albums. His work has earned acclaim from NPR and the PBS News Hour. In 2021, his version of “My Country, ’Tis of Thee” featured in President Biden’s inauguration. A prolific librettist, Amaker’s opera The Weight of Light debuted in 2024, the same year he joined the South Carolina Literary Hall of Fame. His extensive portfolio also includes lyrics on the Grammy-nominated album, Songs in Flight.