The mirror test
is used to determine

whether an animal
recognizes itself.

A mark is placed
somewhere on the body.

A spot only visible
through reflection.

If the animal reaches
for the mark,

scientists conclude
it understands

the image is its own.

I think about this
whenever someone surprises me.

The affair.

The secret debt.

The hidden grief.

The version of themselves
they kept

just outside the frame.

The version they showed
me to get the version of me

they wanted.

For years,
I mistook familiarity

for knowledge.
Mistook access

for understanding.
As though love

was a mirror
capable of showing

the entire animal.

I tried pointing out
the hidden parts

as an act of trust.

I tried hiding
everything.

Not knowing the parts
that would be perceived

as marks.

Now I wonder
how many marks

we carry
that cannot be seen

even when standing
directly in front

of ourselves.