"My Uncle’s Lesson"

When I was a little girl,
My uncle, God bless his soul,
Knowing my timid nature,
Used to teach me over and over
The same lesson.
He used to say:
“Look in the mirror, Your Grace,
Say to yourself with a smile:
“I am the most charming and pretty,
Elegant, witty and kind”,
“Watch your eyes”, he said, “your reflection,
You’re a perfect perfection!”
I forgot his teachings
For most of my life,
Being young and pretty —
Who would needed to recite
Half-compliment, half-lie!
And, as I am getting old,
Those lines
Were suddenly recalled.
*********************
I’m still smiling when I say these lines
While watching my expression in the mirror
It’s amazing, this innocent lie
Continues to work its miracle!!!